


Wedding Date

by TinderWulf



Category: Mass Effect - All Media Types
Genre: F/M, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Tropes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-24
Updated: 2019-05-09
Packaged: 2020-01-25 16:23:53
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 20
Words: 25,506
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18578173
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TinderWulf/pseuds/TinderWulf
Summary: Admiral Steven Hackett needs a date to a wedding. There were very few options for a workaholic. The one that drifted through his mind may very well end his career...by death."With a surprised look inside the empty bottle, he realized he’d drank the last drop. That was disappointing. He supposed that was all the liquid courage he was going to get.Besides, calling Shepard meant she couldn’t punch him, or shoot him, through the omnitool. That’s a win if he did say so himself."





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! Long time no see. I know, I know, that was my own doing. It has been a rough few months and I took a break away from all writing. In fact, all I've done is work. My daughter is begging me to get back into the original piece I'm doing solely for her benefit. I thought I'd start with posting a fic thats been sitting around and seeing if that kick starts my absent muse.
> 
> As always, super huge thanks to Melpomene21 and her incredible editing. If it weren't for her, this fic would be unfinished like the other 30 on my computer. Much love to you all and I hope you enjoy one of my favorite tropes. <3
> 
> * * *

The reminder stared up at him accusingly. He’d responded to a wedding invite well over a year ago. Right before the war began. Never in a million years did he think it would still happen and that the old invite would be valid this long.

Then there was the issue of his plus one. A woman he dated somewhat briefly until he saw her true character. Though a year long relationship wasn’t exactly brief. It had felt more like torture.

With a groan he closed his omnitool and fell back against the couch. He hated going to weddings without a date. Especially when the damn things were a week long. Like this one. Some beach celebration and ceremony.

It would be rude to decline. And it was likely a lot of the bride’s guest list were missing or dead. Hackett knew her father was living simply because they were old friends. Normally, he’d send a message to Kenson as his back up. She enjoyed weddings. But Kenson was dead. There was Chakwas, but that just felt weird going to a wedding with someone you looked at like family. Hell, Kenson was a lesbian that loved food, dancing, and wedding gowns. Hackett chuckled at the memory of her running off with a bridesmaid.

There was a severe lack of female friendship in his life. And he only ever noticed when events came up. Usually Anderson would be his last call, but he was long gone. Suddenly, Hackett noticed a severe lack of male friends too. Anderson had been the best. Quality over quantity.

There was only one person other than his secretary that he talked to the most.

Shepard.

_That_ would be a horrible idea, he thought as he rose to pour himself a glass of whiskey. Horribly bad. Explosions and chaos followed her with every step. There was a constant storm brewing behind her complete with torrential rains and lightning. And she just smirked, her green eyes flashing with amusement and excitement as the ground beneath her feet trembled in her wake.

The woman lived to fight.

Hackett chuckled. That conversation would go well.

_Hey, Shepard? Care to put on a dress and watch an old friend’s kid get married in between bouts of swimming and heavens knows what else?_

Her normal smirk would turn to flat line of her lips while her eyes lit with fire. It was a look he’d seen before and it usually didn’t end well for the recipient. Or she’d laugh in his face. Maybe outright shoot him. Who knew? She’s unpredictable on a good day. Plus asking her to return to Earth…

He’d find an early grave. He knew how much she hated Earth. Not because of the war. But because of the first eighteen years of her life living on the streets inside of a gang just to survive. But then, he wasn’t asking her to go to the city, and he wasn’t asking her to return to the plains of Oklahoma.

No, he’d be going to a private island. Ratua Private Island, Vanuatu. He and other close friends and family would get very private cabins. His was situated on the water, on stilts. The only transportation around the island was electric four-wheelers and ATV’s.

It really wasn’t a place for Hackett’s ex. She had been too high maintenance. How the hell did he put up with it for so long?

This was gold for a soldier though. Luxury really.

With a surprised look inside the empty bottle, he realized he’d drank the last drop. That was disappointing. He supposed that was all the liquid courage he was going to get.

Besides, calling Shepard meant she couldn’t punch him, or shoot him, through the omnitool. That’s a win if he did say so himself.

And he just did!

Maybe a little too much liquid courage.


	2. Chapter 2

Shore leave. An actual honest-to-goodness shore leave! How long had it been since the _Normandy_ was space worthy again? Since they began their journey that took them all over the Milky Way? Sure, there were short stops in safe places but they hadn’t had a proper shore leave in forever.

There was nothing planned. No interviews or meets in the arena. Not one dinner schedule for the next two weeks of her life.

Since David had given her this apartment, there was no better time than now to settle in fully. Hell, she’d even unpacked her duffle bag!

The beep of the microwave pulled her from her thoughts. Freshly popped popcorn. It had been so long since she’d got to enjoy it. A glass of chocolate milk to go with it because that was the best in her opinion.

Upstairs an old, remastered vid was loaded and waiting for her to get into bed and press play.

She hummed as she arranged herself into her bed and adjusted the pillows behind her before pressing play. Then she was humming along to the opening credits.

_Incoming call from: Admiral Hackett_

“Oh come on!” She complained as the beeps were drown out by the music of her vid. Turning it down, only a little, she answered. “I’m on shore leave.”

[That works out perfectly because I have a favor to ask.]

“The last favor I did for you nearly killed me and got me indoctrinated,” she reminded him.

[Okay, I have a far less dangerous and rather boring favor to ask.]

“Boring?” She asked, her interest peaked enough to tilt the omnitool to her face.

[So very boring,] he told her.

Even through the fuzzy feed she could tell his eyes were a little glassy. And expressive. She was immediately suspicious. “What exactly is it?”

[Over a year ago…]

“No.”

[No? I haven’t even asked yet.]

“No to the back story.”

[Are you watching what I think you’re watching?] He asked her, his head turning just slightly to take in the vid. [You are!]

“I can see you’ve been drinking,” she said with mirth. “What’s the favor?”

[I need a date to a wedding.] What? Shepard popped her ear just in case she was hearing things. [And I need you to pretend to be my girlfriend so the father of the bride doesn’t set me up with another horrible woman.]

Shepard paused the movie and just stared at the mildly drunk man. Unless he was trashed and had gone insane. Could he break under the weight of his responsibilities? She doubted it. But the longer he quietly waited for an answer, the more sure she was that he was losing his mind.

“I’m sorry, I think I’m hearing things,” she commented quietly.

[It’s a private island, secluded cabin, and lots of beach.]

“I don’t own a swimsuit,” she said, her voice dry. When would she need a bikini in space?

[I’ll pay for whatever you need for the week stay as well as a dress for the ceremony and reception.]

“Do what? Did you just say a week?” She was definitely losing her own mind now. She had to be.

[Yes.]

“Are you fucking kidding me? You want me to use a week of my first shore leave in well over a year to go to a fucking wedding?”

[Please?]

Please? Like that would help the situation any better. “What if I have a boyfriend?”

[Shit, didn’t think about that. Do you?]

“No,” she grumbled. “Hence the bowl of popcorn,” she held up the bowl before dropping it back to her lap. “My glass of chocolate milk, and my favorite Christmas movie.”

[You drink chocolate milk when you eat popcorn too? I thought that was just me.]

She absolutely did not want to go to a wedding or pretend to be someone’s sweetheart. But she did want to enjoy the beach. “Where is this private island?”

[Well…] He started before looking away from the omnitool. [Earth.]

“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.”

[I would consider this owing you one for the future.]

Shepard laughed, how could she not? Going back to that place…

[Please.]

She sighed as she pinched the bridge of her nose. “You will pay for everything there.”

[Gladly.]

“You are going to owe me big time for this. A favor for each day.”

[I know and okay.]

“Fine, when do I need to be ready?”

Hackett cleared his throat. [Transport leaves tomorrow at noon.]

Of course it does. “Fine, send me the itinerary so I can go shopping.”

[I’ll take you…]

“No, you’re drunk. I suggest you sleep it off and pack your bag.”

[I’ll pick you up for an early lunch and we’ll go from there.] Hackett sighed, the back of his couch came into view as he leaned back. [I really appreciate this, Shepard.]

“You say that now...” She couldn’t help but smile at his soft chuckle.

Once they said their farewells, she turned off the vid screen and removed herself from the bed. If he hadn’t had her back during her career she’d tell him to go fuck himself. But…the beach sounded really nice. She hadn’t been to one in so many years.

Shopping, however, was a whole other evil. Her omnitool pinged with the incoming information she requested.

So much for making her apartment feel like home. And getting to gorge herself on junk food.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And now we get into it ladies and gents. Mostly ladies that are just obsessed with this silver fox as I am.
> 
> * * *

The ride to Earth was quiet. It made him tense. Were they supposed to come up with a fake story? How long have they been seeing each other?

Hackett had to continue to remind himself this awkwardness was a small price to pay for avoiding another high-maintenance woman. Hell, other than their professional friendship, if you could call it that, there was nothing. He didn’t know her at all on a personal level.

Picking her up at her apartment had been different from women he dated in the past. He expected two or three bags. He had been prepared to carry that many. But she only had one and she refused to let him carry it. Then there was her attire. Standard Alliance tank top, but the loose capris and sandals were unexpected. As was the floppy sun hat in her hand and the sunglasses hanging on her tank.

“You’re going to have to let me treat you like my girlfriend,” he whispered. “That includes letting me carry your bag and hold doors.”

Shepard groaned. Who knew there were women out there that didn’t like that? “Let you treat me like I’m fragile, got it.”

Well that explained that, he supposed. “You aren’t. It’s called affection in a normal relationship.”

“Sounds like a lot of work.”

With the ex, it really had been a lot of work. Heavy work, if he was honest. She expected everything to be done for her. He was so glad they hadn’t lived together.

“You enjoy the shore leave, and I’ll do the work.”

“That sounds selfish,” she commented with a wrinkle of her nose. “We’ll just wing it, it’ll be fine.”

“Glad one of us thinks so,” he muttered. Gary could be hard to deal with when he had his mind set. No matter how good friends they were, Hackett wasn’t invisible to Gary’s scope.

* * *

The event planner greeted them as they exited their transport. Waiting for them was a lone empty four-wheeler.

He didn’t hear much outside of what was expected of them after they settled into their cabin. He hoped Shepard did. Once he finally got their bags tied down, she was already seated at the back of the four-wheeler with her face tipped up to the sun.

“You ready to check out our quarters for the week?” He asked as he climbed in front of her and started their ride. His breath caught when her arms circled around his waist.

“The event guy was apologizing for the shortage of buggies,” she told him. He could hear her smile. “That tells me two things.”

It was easy to hear over the soft hum of the electric motor and easier to follow the map to their location. “What are those?”

“He didn’t know who I was for one. And two…he expected me to throw a hissy fit for having to ride a four-wheeler. Must be a lot of guests that come with a lot of credits.”

“The groom’s family is nothing but credits,” he told her.

It wasn’t a very long ride to their destination. The island wasn’t very big and there were landing pads throughout.

“Here we are,” he told her as he put the vehicle in park and turned it off.

“Holy shit,” she whispered. “A cabin on stilts?”

“The holos didn’t do it justice. Let’s get settled in and head to meet up with the bride and her family.”

Hackett grabbed the bags before she could. She was likely glaring at him under those shades, but he didn’t care. He followed her down the she short steps that opened up to the beach and their path to their cabin.

Once inside, Shepard made noises of ooh’s and aah’s as she took the place in. It was pretty damn luxurious if he did say so himself. There were white, almost shear, curtains all over the place accented with soft warm lighting to give it a romantic glow. A private bathroom, a reading nook up a ladder, and a small kitchenette. The biggest room at the back of the cabin overlooking the vast ocean held a huge bed and single chair.

There were no couches.

He was going to be sleeping on the floor.

“Holy shit this is the fanciest place I’ve ever seen!” Shepard called from the deck that was outside the sliding doors of the bedroom. “This is almost worth coming for.”

That surprised a chuckle out of him.

They discussed their dinner plans while they freshened up. Apparently they were expected to join the dinner at the main house. It was easy to forget the time difference.

Then he had to calm Shepard’s concerns about her being at the young woman’s wedding. She didn’t want to steal the girls big celebration.

Hackett hadn’t thought about it dampening the couples wedding. He really hoped it didn’t. Gary would never let him live it down.

The conversation was quickly forgotten as he helped her figure out the UV barrier she bought. She didn’t want to spoil her beach fun because of a sunburn. Forgetting to apply sunscreen every few hours was a normal occurrence for her apparently.

* * *

The noise level was a little comforting as they entered the bustling main house of the island. At least until Shepard removed her sunglass and hat. Hackett took the items and handed them off to staff before wrapping his arm around her and steering her towards Gary.

The silence was near deafening.

“Steven,” Gary greeted with a shit-eating grin. “Glad you could make it!”

Hackett pointedly ignored the hoverchair his old friend was in. “I told you I would, Gary. This is Jane. Jane this is the father of the bride, Gary, he’s an old friend.”

“Commander Shepard,” Gary said, not bothering to humor Hackett. “I didn’t know this old lug had it in him,” he teased.

Shepard chuckled as she shook Gary’s hand, “Oh he’s quite energetic, lemme tell ya.”

“Ha! I would be too if I snagged someone as beautiful as you,” Gary told her with a wink.

“Oh now, it takes more than that to steal me away from this sexy beast,” Shepard replied with a nod in Hackett’s direction.

“Holy shit, you’ll fit right in.” The old man laughed heartily as Shepard once again quipped something just out of Hackett’s hearing. “She’s feisty, I like her!” Gary told Hackett.

“Me too, old man,” Hackett replied. “Hands off.” The warning was more playful than anything. It was the same routine every time Hackett was with a woman. It wasn’t often and this was the first time he felt a little jealousy at the easy camaraderie between his fake girlfriend and his oldest friend.

Noise levels slowly became loud again as Shepard was introduced to a table filled with people. But she played the part of his girlfriend pretty well. As best she could while answering dozen’s of questions thrown her way.

Perhaps this hadn’t been the best idea after all.

* * *

“What are you doing?” A voice asked from behind him.

“Making a place to sleep, Shepard, what does it look like?”

“The floor is going to kill your back,” she told him. “The bed is plenty big enough for both of us.”

“I’m a snuggler,” he confessed. “Do it in my sleep.”

“Thanks for the warning, now get in bed,” she commanded. He tried to argue, but she wasn’t having it. “I’ve snuggled with varren. I let a krogan snuggle me and that wasn’t very comfortable. But it was cold, so…”

“Fine, I’ll get in bed,” he told her bringing the subject to an end before she went into any details he might not want to know. She was blunt. Had always been blunt. In fact it got her into trouble with a lot of leadership. Hackett had found it amusing when it wasn’t aimed at him.

If he was honest, he was a little jealous with how quickly she fell asleep. It was easy to forget that special forces were so different from the regular enlisted.

It was still late evening on the Citadel. Too early for bed, pretty late for dinner. He lay staring up at the stars through the observation window above their bed. The hour passed slowly as he begged his mind to shut up and sleep. Minds rarely listened.

His body tensed, a surprised grunt leaving him as a familiar tuft of red hair filled his vision. Apparently, she snuggled in her sleep too.

The warmth from her body seeped into him, his eyes becoming heavy with each blink as his breathing slowed. Her warmth pulled his body into sleep, thoughts became dreams as he drifted.


	4. Chapter 4

**_Day One_ **

Shepard couldn’t remember a time that she slept so good. She was used to waking numerous times throughout the night, then tossing and turning until exhaustion pulled her back to sleep.

There was a wonderful feeling of warmth wrapped around her that kept her from opening her eyes. She didn’t want to move. She just wanted to sleep all day.

A muffled beep under her head made her groan and slap at the pillow. Then there was movement and a chill at her back that made her growl in aggravation. The sound was gone and the warmth returned. She could feel herself slipping back into sleep.

“Time to get up,” Hackett mumbled sleepily.

“No,” she told him.

“We’ve got to have breakfast with the other people.”

“No,” she repeated sleepily. “I don’t like people.”

“We can’t sleep all day.”

“Yes we can,” she answered. “Just tell your friend we wore ourselves out last night.”

His quiet laughter made her hair tickle her neck. “I can smell coffee.”

Damn, she liked her morning coffee. “Fine, I’m up,” she told him but didn’t move.

All they were doing today was breakfast and sailing. Guests were still arriving today and tomorrow. She’d never gone sailing before and she was a little nervous about getting sea sick like she’d heard had happened to Vega once.

“Food,” Hackett reminded her, but he didn’t move either.

“It’s kind of stupid to eat then go sailing.”

“Never been?”

“No,” she answered. “Not sure I should eat.”

“I’ll give you a shot once we finish eating,” he said around a yawn. “Now come on, I’m going to fall asleep again.”

Hackett jerked the blanket off of them, making Shepard squeak as cool air hit her. His laughter was unnecessary in her opinion. _Let me treat you like my girlfriend. Blah de fucking blah._ “I’m not feeling good about this mission, Admiral!”

“I brought you coffee,” he said as he entered the bedroom with two steaming mugs.

“One point in your favor. I better get time to sunbathe and frolic in the water like a mermaid,” she told him as she finally stood from the bed.

“Do mermaids frolic?”

“Of course they do,” she answered as she opened the sliding glass door and stepped out onto the lounging deck.

They didn’t remain lazy for long.

As promised, Hackett jabbed her in the neck with an anti-nausea medication while everyone else was distracted. It was kind of sweet helping her stick with her badass Commander persona.

When they boarded a _yacht_ , Shepard was beginning to question the intelligence of the hosts. This wasn’t sailing. But no one seemed to mind. Hackett humored her and took her to the helm. All it took was one look at her for the Captain of the yacht to let her in to watch them leave port.

It was nothing like a ship in space, but it was pretty incredible all the same.

There were a few looks as they rejoined the party. They likely saw all her scars that littered her back and torso. The downside of wearing a bikini top. She really didn’t care. Hackett didn’t seem to mind, but then again, he was playing the attentive boyfriend.

The women didn’t much talk to her, but Gary seemed to enjoy seeing what kind of reactions he could get from her. Her muscle tone and scars didn’t seem to intimidate him at all.

“Blade,” he said pointing to a light scar across her abdomen.

“Scion,” she corrected. “Collector slave.”

“Metal, probably shrapnel,” he said pointing to one on her thigh.

“Marauder, on Menae.” She answered. “You really suck at this, Gary.”

“That one is definitely a burn. Incendiary grenade?”

“Maw acid, but nice try loser.”

“How the hell did you get maw acid on you?” Gary asked, his eyebrows nearly disappearing into his hair.

Shepard smiled. “There I was on Tuchanka, Krogan homeworld. It was hot, sandy, and it smelled like your breath.” Gary laughed loud enough to draw attention. “My son needed to undergo the Rite of Passage to enter a krogan clan since he was clanless. We went through wave after wave of enemies. They were easy. Varren and Klixen. But there was very little coverage to battle a thresher maw. Especially with dead krogan all over the damn field.”

“How many of you?”

“Me, Grunt, and Garrus, on foot. We killed it, the krogan feasted and drank themselves into a stupor. Did you know that Tuchanka is really fucking cold at night?”

“You don’t say,” Gary commented.

“Yeah, had to snuggle with my old krogan friend just to sleep. It was pretty uncomfortable since krogan sleep naked.”

After about an hour of fielding questions from her fake boyfriends friend, Shepard was being pushed to go with the women. She never did well with women. The bride waited patiently with a big smile while Shepard stood.

Hackett whispered something to her, but she didn’t catch it before his lips were pressed against hers in a soft, chaste kiss.

Damn man was going to kill her.

She gave him a small smile before joining the bride, Abby, and letting the woman wrap her arm in Shepard’s.

“Commander,” Abby started.

“Just Jane, please,” Shepard said quietly. “I rarely get away from work so I’d like to enjoy my vacation a little.”

“Jane, it’s such an honor to have you here for my wedding.”

“Really? I was worried I would draw too much attention. I didn’t want to take away from you and your groom.”

Abby laughed softly. “Really, really. As you can see, most of these people are snotty.” Shepard hummed in agreement. “My dad is a gigantic flirt which is embarrassing but you handle him well.”

“I’ve met many like him,” Jane replied. “He’s not as bad as some.”

“I’ll take your word for it.”

“What is this girls thing we’re doing?”

“Mani’s and pedi’s! I haven’t had one in years, and even then I am so absorbed in my work I hardly make time for them.”

Jane sighed internally. “I’ve never had it done. Don’t need pretty nails to break a merc’s neck.”

Abby laughed, “That is true!”

Maybe this chick wouldn’t be so bad after all.

* * *

Shepard sat on the bench, her legs over Hackett’s as she enjoyed the sunlight. She seriously hoped the barrier allowed her to get a little tan.

“Now, Shepard, how is your vacation working out?” Gary asked as he joined them.

“Splendid,” she answered with a smile. “I’ve got a gorgeous view from my bed, a sexy cabana boy at my beck and call, and there’s delicious food.”

“That so? Does Steven wear the proper cabana boy uniform?”

“Only for me, Gary,” she answered with a chuckle making Hackett groan. “Don’t even think about sneaking a peak at my Admiral you pervy bastard.”

Shepard sat up, enjoying the laughter from the men and those few that had been eavesdropping. “Wouldn’t dream of it, Commander,” Gary said once he’d calmed. “It’s good to see him relaxed for once.”

Once they were alone again, Hackett’s arm around her back while her legs were still over his. “Do you not relax enough?”

“I wouldn’t say that,” he answered quietly. “Gary just tends to set me up with impossible women.”

“Maybe he thinks you need to be pushed around a little.”

“Or maybe he likes to torture me,” Hackett replied with a smirk. “Let’s just say the last one would have been terribly upset at having to ride a four-wheeler. And staying in what I’m sure she’d consider a run-down shack.”

Shepard was surprised. Four-wheelers were enjoyable. But the cabin was beautiful. “Well, cabana boy, how about you enjoy our vacation, hmm?”

His reply was cut-off by surprised onlookers as whales broke the surface of the water. Hackett led her to the side to watch as he wrapped his arms around her waist from behind. She’d seen vids of this, but never in her life had she got to witness it in person.

It was breathtaking.


	5. Chapter 5

**_Day Two_ **

This was going to kill him. Shepard had always been attractive, but never had he seen her like this. Skin darkening from sun exposure, freckles appearing on her shoulders, and sunbathing in a bikini. The arousal was going to kill him. It was bad enough his feelings were confused. Every time Gary flirted with her, he felt possessive. But she wasn’t his. He’d never in a million years considered her as a potential partner.

Then there was having to deal with the more intimate side of herself. The Jane Shepard.

She smiled a lot. She was a really good snuggler, which he never thought was a skill to have until he slept so well wrapped around her. Bea had been cold. Curling up next to her never warmed his body. But Shepard… it was completely different. Shepard was warmth. Not just physical either. Her smile held it. Her aura burned like the sun.

Hackett shook his head in humor when her soft snore reached his ears. She’d fallen asleep lounging in the sun. This was probably why she got sunburns. It was a good thing she had her barrier on.

There was nothing to do until evening. Abby had taken pity on Jane and told her to skip the hiking this morning since she was on vacation.

Tonight they had a dinner with the rest of the wedding guests in the main house. Hackett was glad he didn’t have to stay in one of the hotel rooms there. This was far better. And the view of the sleeping redhead was even better than the view from their deck.

* * *

“Don’t be a pussy,” Shepard told him as she took the driver’s seat on the four-wheeler. “I do know how to drive.”

“I saw the reports from the Mako, Jane.”

“Just hold me tight and you’ll be fine,” she told him with a chuckle.

Thankfully, there was a max speed on the damn thing. But then again, it was Shepard. He held on like his life depended on it, but it turned out he didn’t need to. She took the long way to the main house, speeding across the beach. He couldn’t see it, but he was sure she was smiling.

They came to a stop in front of the main house, her happy sigh relaxing him further as he removed himself then helped her off. She didn’t need help but he’d held his hand out without thought, and she took it.

Once again the noise level dropped when they entered. The new guests stared at Shepard as she entered the room like she owned it. But she didn’t seem to notice as she made a beeline for Abby and wrapped the young woman in a friendly hug before they found their seats near Gary.

“Did you enjoy your morning?” Gary asked with a smirk.

“Oh yes,” Shepard replied. “I got to sleep in the sun and frolic in the water like a mermaid.”

“Oh is that all?”

“Dad,” Abby warned.

“A girl has to have some secrets, old man,” Shepard replied with a smirk.

Some days, he really wanted to punch Gary in the throat. This was one of those days. Hoverchair or not.

Introductions were made with the new guests and dinner began. Once again Shepard had to field questions from nosy civilians. Every time she told them it was classified, they’d groan in displeasure. Some of them were obsessed with her supposed death. Gary was quick to shut that down and apologize to Shepard.

But Shepard waved it off saying it was normal to be curious about near-death experiences.

Nevertheless, it seemed to dampen her spirit.

By the time they made it back to their cabin, the moon had risen high. Hackett watched as Shepard removed her sandals and began walking down the moonlit beach with promises of returning in a while.

Hackett understood. She needed some time to work through some stuff. Stuff he couldn’t imagine, he was sure. It was doubtful he wanted to, but he still felt the weight on his shoulders as he watched her cotton beach dress caress her skin with each barefoot step in the sand.

The cabin and bed was too big without her in it. He lay awake for the longest time before he heard her enter and quietly make her way towards the bathroom. Within minutes the shower was running.

When she slid into bed, she mirrored his position. Both staring up at the bright stars. The silence was heavy but he didn’t know what to say. If they were a couple, he would wrap himself around her and kiss her waking nightmares away.

But they weren’t. Not outside of this island.

Instead, he lay there. He let her stay lost inside her memories.

* * *

Pain pulled him from sleep. Jolted him awake. He was alert before he opened his eyes. But it wasn’t an outside threat.

It was Shepard.

“Jane,” he called roughly as she thrashed in the bed, her elbow meeting his ribs. Hackett quickly sat up and moved on top over her. He sat on her hips and secured her arms. “Shepard!” He yelled and she struggled underneath him.

But the loud inhales didn’t stop. The panic didn’t stop.

Hackett cursed himself before he pinned her wrists above her head. And slapped her. Guilt hit him before he even felt the sting on his fingers. He’d never hit a woman before. At least not outside of battle.

“Jane,” he whispered roughly.

Her eyes were wide and sparkling in the moonlight as she took in the scene. He released her wrists when her bottom lip trembled. He never should have let her fall asleep with memories heavy in her mind.

“Are you with me?” He asked softly, her nod loosing an unshed tear.

Carefully moving off of her, he arranged the light blanket and lay down facing her before pulling the woman to him. Her body shuddered as she tried to suppress her emotions. But he held her tight as she calmed her breathing. He said nothing at the moisture against his chest. Instead, he ran his fingers through her hair and rubbed her lower back the best that he could while she fought the war inside of herself.

When he awoke with the sunrise, it was to an empty bed.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Because a certain someone *cough* Ms_Sab *Cough* didn't mention it was Friday yesterday you get the bonus chapter today. 
> 
> Last night was my first night off in a month! I ate too many carbs and played video games ^_^. Next time, just poke me: "Hey...Wulf? It's Friday. You remember what Friday's are right? HELLLOOO, how could you forget double chapter Friday?!" My bad yo. Much love to you <333
> 
> Also, super huge thanks to Mel for helping me with the smut in this chapter and smoothing out the edges. She is the bomb diggity!
> 
> * * *

Running was something she sometimes found peace in. Of course it had nothing to do with the nightmare or Hackett seeing her so vulnerable.

Her body was covered in a sheen of sweat, the sun making her even more warm as her feet thudded quietly against the sand. What she didn’t expect was coming up on Gary. He really wasn’t the first person she wanted to see this morning, especially considering her attire.

“Shepard,” Gary greeted as she neared him.

“Morning, Gary,” she greeted as she came to a stop.

“You look like you’ve been at it a while and you aren’t even breathless.”

“Special forces,” she told him. Cybernetics, military upgrades, and bad memories helped too.

“Hmm,” the man said. He didn’t seem like his usual flirtatious self.

“What’s going on in that head, Gary?”

“Oh, just remembering when Abby was a little one is all.” Gary looked out toward the water. “Hard to remember she isn’t a giggly little girl anymore.” He shook his head before meeting Shepard’s eyes. “What about your family?”

“I’m an orphan, grew up in the streets. My crew is my family,” she answered easily.

“And Steven,” he reminded her with a smirk.

“I assumed that went without saying,” she told him, hopefully covering her mistake.

“I suppose it does,” he replied. “The man deserves some happiness so be good to him, will you?”

“Of course I will,” she answered. She was a little insulted even if their relationship was fake.

“He’s different with you than the other ones,” Gary commented as he looked back towards the ocean. “Possessive for one,” he chuckled. “He does not appreciate my flirting.”

“Not many men do.”

“True, but he found humor in my attempts at flustering his past girlfriends, but you…he gives me the evil eye.” Shepard fell into step with him when he began moving up the beach. “You are different.”

“I would sure hope so,” she told him playfully.

They were silent as they slowly made their way up the beach. This was a completely different side of Gary. Unexpected side.

“We’re having an unscheduled ‘Luau’ tonight,” Gary told her. “You’ll need an outfit for it so Abby is picking you one up. I’ll make sure Steven wears the ugly shorts to match mine. It’s not culturally accurate, but it’ll be a fun evening with the family.”

“As long as I don’t get hounded with questions again, I’m sure it’ll be nice.”

“I truly am sorry about that. Had I known you were Steven’s plus one, I would have warned them all ahead of time. You should be enjoying your vacation, Commander, not being reminded of dark times.”

“Just Jane please, I am on vacation after all,” she told him with a smile she felt.

“Jane,” Gary replied with a smile. “Looks like your cabana boy is impatiently waiting for your return. I do so enjoy bugging him.”

“Isn’t that what brothers are supposed to do?” She hadn’t realized they’d gone so far. And Hackett was waiting. A mug of coffee in hand, bare chested, loose pajama pants, and eyes taking the pair on the beach in.

“Indeed,” he replied with a smile and a wink to her. The sudden change in his persona made her throw her head back in laughter. “That outta do it. You’ll thank me later when you can’t walk properly.”

With that she was left at the wooden bridge to her slice of heaven. The Admiral with the steely blue eyes was waiting inside the door with a second cup of coffee.

“Enjoy your run?”

“I did,” she answered before taking a sip. “Gary is a sweetheart. Told me to take care of you.”

“I’m sure he did. In between bouts of offers for you to hitch a ride on his lap,” Hackett muttered.

“Nope, not one offer.” Shepard hummed as she took another sip of coffee. “You make good java.”

“I think I’ll go for a run myself,” he said as he turned toward the bedroom. He was in an odd mood. Granted she didn’t know much about his moods, but this one was new. “I’ll be back later.”

“Okay,” she said before moving to the lone chair in the bedroom to finish her cup of coffee. She really needed a shower. “Oh! Don’t let Gary see you, you’re supposed to be making it difficult for me to walk.”

Hackett stopped tying his shoes to look up at her. “Maybe a swim then.”

“Oh that sounds fun,” she commented as she toed her shoes off, then her socks. “Last one in has to be designated driver tonight!”

She was out the door in a peel of laughter, Hackett on her heels. She screamed when his arms wrapped around her before she could leap, forcing them both to tip in with a splash. She barely had time to pinch her nose closed.

Before she could truly understand his smirk, he took off in a swim.

A race then.

She took off after him. The wake buoy looking to be his destination. It was easy to find the rhythm even though it had been a long time since she swam like this. It used to be meditative.

By the time the buoy closed in, she’d caught up with him. But he apparently didn’t have a swimmers turn-around. She flipped, using her feet to push herself forward off of the buoy, easily taking the lead. There was no doubt he’d be able to catch up with her at her current speed.

So she kicked it up a notch and left the man in her waves.

She was waiting with a smile next to the ladder attached to the deck. “I win,” she told him when he finally met her. Her laughter was victorious as she began her climb up the ladder. “What?” She squeaked when the hand gripping her sports bra jerked her backwards, making her hit the water.

When she surfaced, he was waiting _on_ the deck with a smile of his own. “I win.”

“Jerk,” she grumbled with humor.

* * *

Hackett kept her close during the last minute Luau. She really wanted to experience one of these with the Hawaiian dancers, but they made do with what was already on the island.

There was laughing, music, food, and dancing. Quite a lot of fun really. Even if Hackett was being stingy on the dance floor.

“You sure don’t like to share do you?” She asked when another young man broke eye contact.

“Nope.”

“You afraid they’re going to try and accost me on the dance floor in front of everyone?”

His chuckle was soft against her ear as he swayed with her on the sand. “I highly doubt they’d get far.” His hands moved from her hips to her lower back to pull her closer to him. “Did I tell you that you look beautiful tonight?”

“You did,” she replied. It had been odd, but then there _were_ people around. “Thank you.”

Every time she turned around he was giving her food or drinks. And that was only if she wasn’t sitting on his lap underneath the soft glow of the lanterns. They both had a nice buzz going when they finally broke away. She couldn’t stop yawning.

As soon as they were in their cabin, she’d kicked her shoes off and fell onto the bed fully clothed. Men had it easy.

“You can’t sleep like that, Shepard,” Hackett told her. He’d already shed his clothing down to his underwear.

“Don’t want to move,” she mumbled as the bed shifted.

“It’s the easiest outfit to take off,” he told her as he leaned over her, his eyes only momentarily glancing at the material fit snugly across her chest.

“You wore me out today,” she joked. If only. He was drop-dead gorgeous. Especially fresh out of the ocean with the sun shining on him. She fought to ignore the simmering heat flaring beneath her rib cage.

“At least sit up for a nightcap,” he told her, leaning back and pulling her up to a sitting position on the bed.

He poured a generous amount into a glass and held it out to her. She smirked, bypassing the glass and taking a long swig from the bottle. He drank from the glass, an amused expression on his lips and something devilish twinkling in those ice blue eyes. The alcohol was settling warmly in her lower gut and the haze of inebriation buzzed pleasantly inside of her head. She yawned again as Hackett placed the bottle and the glass on the nightstand and pulled her to lie alongside of him. He kept his arm around her and she snuggled her head up against his chest. Her eyelids drooped heavily. There was no way she’d wake until morning. Even a cyclone blowing her away would probably go unnoticed.

The soft purr of a snore let her know that Hackett had fallen asleep. Seemed like she wore him out too, she thought with a smile. Suddenly feeling a second wind, she sat up on her knees and leaned over his face to reach for the bottle he’d placed on the nightstand. She took one more drink of it before placing it back down a little louder than she had intended.

Holding her breath, she looked down at his sleeping face. A warm hand gripped the back of her thigh as his eyes opened, revealing an alertness that was surprising. Hackett watched her reaction closely as his fingers ghosted over the crotch of her panties. The answering shiver and gasp that escaped from her parted lips was involuntary. The pleasured moan however, was not, as the top of her strapless cotton dress was jerked down and the warm air of his breath hovered over her nipple.

She arched her back wantonly, offering her breast to his waiting mouth. His lips closed around the peak and his tongue swirled against the sensitive nub. Closing her eyes, she ground against the fingers still teasing her center. When he pushed the fabric aside and slid a finger inside of her, she murmured something, she couldn’t be sure what but his reaction was immediate and quite decisive. 

She was on her back before she could blink.

Before she could taste the tongue in her mouth, he was inside of her. His moan mirroring her own as he pushed himself up and onto his knees. She gripped the sheets tight as he spread her legs and watched himself move in and out of her.

But those were her whimpers she heard when his eyes met hers in the moonlight. Her gasps and shudders of pleasure with every jerk of his hips.

His smirk turned predatory while his fingers trailed down her thigh. The closer he got to the apex of her thighs, the quicker her heart raced.

It had been long enough that she was already wound tight, making it easy for him to bring her pleasure as his cock pressed against her gspot. His fingers pushed her over the edge, the slap of his hips into her and his moan spurring her release as it crashed over her.

Then she was being pulled up into his lap as he knelt between her legs. He moved her arms around his shoulders as her ankles hooked around his ass. His kiss was heated as he thrust up into her, the position only allowed shallow movement, but it was enough to keep her pleasure going as their tongues battled and his arms wrapped around her to hold her tight against his chest.

Before she could so much as cry out, he sped his thrusts, hitting her perfectly to push her over the edge again. He moaned as he watched her crest, her head thrown back as her body bounced on his. Then it was his turn, her hips rolling into him as he pushed himself as deep inside of her as he could, his muscles straining while he poured himself inside of her.

This would be her best drunk fuck of her entire life. If she remembered it.


	7. Chapter 7

**_Day Four_ **

The beeping of the alarm woke him up. The groan against his shoulder had him moving to turn the alarm off as quickly as he could.

“No,” a muffled complaint came, making him smirk. Shepard was not a morning person.

“Afraid so, Jane,” he told her. She whined and rolled over, her back to him. He gripped her waist he pulled her mostly bare body against his. She still had the damn cotton dress around her waist. “I’m sure I can find a way to wake you up,” he whispered against her ear, her gasp making his erection twitch against her. “Or at least help you enjoy mornings.”

“You can try,” she whispered, but he could hear her smirk.

A challenge then. Perfect. It took very little effort to slide his length inside of her. She was still moist from their activities the night before. Their moans mingled as he thrust roughly into her. He watched as she pleasured herself, a truly arousing sight. Her cheeks reddened as her pleasure grew. It was difficult not to get lost in her when she looked so truly breathtaking.

Instead, he distracted himself. He touched where he could. His mouth against her neck and shoulder, his fingers teasing her nipples as her fingers increased their rhythm.

But it didn’t take much for her climax, her soft moans music to his ears as he filled her. He could stay inside of her all day and it wouldn’t be enough. She was irresistible.

He ran his hand over her arm before pulling her tighter against him. “Did that wake you up?”

She hummed as her fingers laced with his. “Made me more sleepy.”

“We could just forget the bride and groom and stay in bed all day,” he whispered as his lips ghosted along her ear.

He released her as she rolled onto her back, her nose pressed to his. “We could, but I smell coffee.”

“Damn coffee,” he complained before lifting his torso over her. “I’ve never disliked it more in my life.”

“Just kiss me and bring me some coffee, cabana boy.”

His chuckle was soft before he did as he was told. Of course he was going to kiss her anyway.

* * *

Shepard’s body tensed as they entered the main house. “Jane?” he whispered down into her ear.

“You’re really going to have to make this convincing,” she told him. “Kaidan’s here. I wasn’t aware he was invited.”

He had to quickly go through his mental list of her crew to know who she was speaking of. Alenko, former lover and second human spectre. Alenko’s father was friends with Gary. Hackett hadn’t personally known senior Alenko outside of work. 

“His father is friends with Gary,” he told her finally. He lifted her chin with his knuckle before planting a soft kiss on her lips. He couldn’t help the smile when her eyes sparkled mischievously. “Behave,” he told her.

“Steven, Jane!” Gary bellowed as they fully entered the room. 

Shepard gave the man an affectionate smile before kissing his cheek. “Good morning to you too, Gary.”

“Horseback riding is on the agenda today, are you ready?” Gary asked. Steven nearly rolled his eyes.

“I’ll have to pass,” Shepard said with a smirk. “I’m still a little sore from the last horse I rode,” she told Gary as she pointed her thumb in Hackett’s direction. He couldn’t help but feel a little pride.

Gary burst into laughter. Steven couldn’t help but chuckle. “Steven, you lucky prick,” Gary wheezed between inhales. “Feisty and blunt.”

“She’s a rare woman,” Steven agreed with a smile before helping Shepard get seated.

“Now boys, it’ll take more than that to make me blush,” Shepard told them as Steven took his seat next to his fake girlfriend. “Kaidan, it’s good to see you.”

“You too, Shepard,” Kaidan replied evenly. 

“In all honesty,” Gary said once food was served. “I’m not a fan of horse riding. There are jet-ski’s and I’m eager to try them out. You up for that?”

“Hell yeah,” Shepard replied. Hackett groaned internally, of course she would be. “I like my sports like I like my men.”

“How’s that?” Gary asked with a smirk. Hackett was a little curious.

“Rough and dangerous,” Shepard replied causing the table full of people to burst into laughter.

Breakfast was lively as usual. The bride gushed about getting to see Shepard all done up. If he was honest, he was interested to see what she looked like in make-up. And with her hair done. Her nose wrinkled but she agreed to allow the bride’s stylist to meddle with her face. Her words, not his.

The ride back to their cabin was relaxing. Everything about Shepard was relaxing. Which was odd considering her service record. But he wouldn’t argue. 

“You’re thinking too loud,” she told him as they walked up the dock, hand in hand.

“I’m just waiting for the chaos that normally follows you,” he quipped. 

She snorted, “I do know how to leave the chaos behind, you know.”

“That so?” Steven just wanted to take her back to bed.

“Now come on, let’s get changed and meet up with your brother.”

“Don’t forget your barrier,” he teased. “Wouldn’t want that pretty little nose to burn.”

“Pick on me all you like, old man.”

“I didn’t hear any complaints last night, or this morning, about my age,” he whispered seductively. “In fact, if I remember correctly, you were all moans and sighs.”

He smirked when she turned to look at him, her cheeks burning nearly as red as her hair.

“So you can blush, interesting.” He chuckled when she growled at him and returned her attention to her bag. 

This vacation just got a whole lot more interesting.


	8. Chapter 8

**DAY FIVE**

Preparations for the ceremony were in full swing. Shepard was tired from Hackett keeping her occupied the night before. And damn if he wasn’t absolutely delicious in and out of bed. 

They were lounging lazily in a hammock together as the island’s employees hustled in every which direction. 

Kaidan being there had been a surprise. It wasn’t bad, exactly, but with their past he’d be able to see through her and Hackett’s fake relationship. They’d both had to up their game to fool her old boyfriend. Hackett had done well and she hoped she had, too. 

“You’re thinking too loud,” Hackett muttered against her ear.

“Sorry,” she apologized automatically. 

“We’re supposed to be napping,” he told her. “Since we were up pretty late last night.”

“People keep staring at us,” she answered. “Makes it hard for me to relax completely when there’s eyes on me.”

“They’re just enjoying the view,” he told her. She could hear his smile. “Appreciating what’s mine…”

“I thought you were the possessive type?”

“I am, but I can hardly stop people from looking at you.”

That was true. Everyday a few new guests appeared and stared at her like she’d grown another head since she’d last looked in the mirror. Hackett had kept her on a pretty short leash. She was very rarely out of his sight when they were surrounded by people. 

She wouldn’t deny that he played the part wonderfully. And she kind of enjoyed the affection. She wasn’t used to someone holding doors open for her. Or pulling her chair out at dinner. It was a completely different kind of experience for her. 

Shepard complained when the staff called dinner. She was perfectly comfortable lounging in the shade and feeling the wind on her skin. 

“Come on, let’s get you fed,” Hackett said as he exited the hammock gracefully. 

“I don’t want to move,” she said quietly only to squeak when she was physically lifted and carried. “Was that entirely necessary?”

“No, but it’s fun to surprise you,” he answered.

He carried her all the way to the dining room making Gary laugh and joke about how the horse had worn out the carriage driver. Technically it was true, Hackett had worn her out, but still. She _could_ walk.

After dinner came the wedding rehearsal. There would be a reception that followed the ceremony before the pair would head off on their honeymoon. They were all already in paradise, so why would they want to leave?

Hackett and Shepard sat on the bride’s side while they wedding party went through the motions. The maid of honor had yet to show, but the bride was sure she’d be there on time. Shepard hoped so. 

The wedding would be held in the mostly covered pavilion. With all the chairs in place, the staff was working tirelessly on putting up lights and sheer fabric. It was simple, but gorgeous. Elegant even. Shepard had never really thought about getting married. There was no dream wedding or dress saved in her mind but if there had been, it would be something like this. 

“They’re throwing another party tonight,” Hackett told her. “Feel like going?”

“Sure, I could use a little alcohol,” she answered. “Maybe some poker too.”

“Ms. Shepard?” 

“Yes?” She answered as she looked up at the person addressing her. Hotel staff. A manager.

“A covered land rover has become available, would you like to have use of it?”

“No thanks,” Shepard replied with a smile. “I rather enjoy the four-wheeler.”

“Of course, do let us know if you find anything lacking.”

Lacking? Everything was perfect. A dream vacation. She couldn’t sing their praises enough. The staff had done an incredible job. Hackett’s arm wrapped around her shoulders, pulling her from her thoughts. 

The only problem that came to mind was enjoying this fake relationship a little too much. She was getting attached. It was going to suck going back to soldier and commanding officer.

The night was filled with laughter and drinking. Hackett kept her nearby early in the party before she planted herself on his lap when they weren’t dancing barefoot in the sand. He’d even let other men dance with her.

It was almost comical the way he watched as Gary spun her in a circle in his hoverchair while she sat on his lap. 

“It’s so easy to anger him with you,” Gary said quietly as he drove her around the dancing area. “I do hope you’ll invite me to the wedding.”

Shepard chuckled, “If there is one, definitely.” 

“I better take you back to him, he looks like he’s going to break my fingers.”

“Nah, he loves you, old man.”

“He loves you too, and I need my fingers to drive my chair.” _Loves her?_

Hackett helped Shepard off of Gary’s lap before he dragged her back out into the sand. She waited patiently, expecting him to ask what Gary had said. Instead, he gave her lips a soft, chaste kiss before wrapping his arms around her lower back and pulled her body against his.

“Am I doing better with the sharing?”

Shepard lifted her head from his shoulders to meet his eyes, “Yes you are,” she told him with a smile. “They just wanted bragging rights, you know.”

“Bragging rights is childish,” he told her. 

“That may be, but how many people get to say they danced with the great Commander Shepard?”

“Flux: I saw those unofficial reports too.”

Shepard laughed, “That wasn’t dancing, that was me being silly.”

“And starting a rumor of your clubbing skills.”

“It is what it is,” she told him with a shrug. 

“Alenko keeps staring.”

Shepard hummed. “He’s trying to decide whether or not you really are my cabana boy.”

“Anything extra I need to do?”

“Nope, just keep on doing what you’re doing.”

By the time people began passing out, it was past midnight. Shepard sat on Hackett’s lap as she listened to Gary go on and on about past missions. Shepard, always the competitor, naturally added her own little stories. 

There were questions for her and Kaidan on their time on the Normandy. Former and present. Most of their missions were classified, but they didn’t mind retelling those that didn’t have any sensitive information. 

It was closing in on two in the morning when they finally said goodnight. 

Hackett had her on the bed as soon as he possibly could. She didn’t complain, even if she was a little sore from the sudden increase in sexual activity. His body and moans were intoxicating as he moved over her. Muscles rippled as he thrust into her, his mouth devouring hers…

These memories were going to haunt her.


	9. Chapter 9

**DAY SIX - Wedding Day**

Steven smiled into the crook of her neck as her driving stuttered. He couldn’t help but tease her, his fingers lightly skimming the inside of her thigh as they made their way to the main house for breakfast.

It was going to royally suck when they went back to their real lives tomorrow. The week had been nothing short of spectacular in his opinion. 

Giving her shoulder a quick kiss, he returned his hands to her hips as the main house came into view. Staff were still working hard to make the day’s activities as memorable as possible for the couple. 

The last thing he expected when they entered the building was a sobbing bride. He felt Shepard’s body tense against his before she released him and jogged over to the bride. Instead of joining her, Steven joined Gary. 

“What’s wrong?”

“The maid of honor decided to wait until the day of the ceremony to let my daughter know she wouldn’t be coming,” Gary said, his voice lacking any emotion. 

Hackett didn’t reply. What could he say that would help?

Returning his attention back to his gorgeous fake girlfriend, he watched as she calmed the bride. Steven didn’t know what Shepard was saying, but whatever it was worked like a charm. The bride’s watery chuckle could be heard before the women hugged.

“If you don’t marry that one, I will,” Gary said, breaking the silence.

“Pardon?” Hackett replied. He’d heard him, he just couldn’t believe Gary would say something like that.

“Marry her, idiot.”

“Because she’s famous?”

“No, because she’s incredible. And if you don’t see that, I have no problem running you down with this damned chair.”

Of course he knew she was incredible. How could anyone miss that little vital piece of information? In the few days they’d been here, he’d seen a completely different side of her. A playful, generous side. The real Jane Shepard. Commander and Jane were like two completely different people. One harsh and unforgiving, one loving and kind. He was still in awe of her.

When she joined him, he couldn’t help but plant a lingering kiss on her lips. 

“Everything okay?”

“Yes,” she replied with a sigh. “I told her I’d be her maid of honor. I go to try on the dress for last minute adjustments right after breakfast.”

“Shepard, I can’t thank you enough,” Gary said in an uncharacteristic show of genuine gratitude.

“It’s no problem, Gary,” Shepard replied as she wrapped her arm around Hackett’s waist. 

Affection with her was just so damn easy. Like they’d been together for years really. Even if it was all a lie. This damn trip was going to leave him feeling pretty damn empty.

* * *

The floor length mirror in Abby’s private dressing room was huge. Shepard wasn’t quite sure she liked viewing herself from three different angles. 

“We need to take in the bust a bit, but everything else is a perfect fit,” the seamstress said as she made notes on her omnitool. “I’ll have it ready in an hour.”

“Thank you for this, Jane,” Abby said.

“You’re welcome. I’ve never been in a wedding before so I’m just really hoping I don’t screw this up for you.” Shepard sat down on the chaise next to Abby. “Now, as your stand-in maid of honor, are there any crazy exes I should know about? It’s my job to protect your honor,” Shepard teased.

“None,” the bride answered with a chuckle. “You and Uncle Steven are so great together. I do hope you’ll invite me to your wedding if you two tie the knot.”

“Absolutely,” Shepard replied. There was no need to tell her the relationship wasn’t real. 

They discussed honeymoon plans. Shepard couldn’t help but wonder what it was like to never have to worry about being able to afford anything. 

“Wait, you’ll be on the Citadel for the first week?”

“Yes.”

Shepard smiled. “Instead of purchasing transport to your next stop, why don’t you and your future husband hitch a ride on my ship?”

“Oh my gosh, seriously? The _Normandy_?”

“Yep,” Shepard answered. “Consider it a wedding gift.”

“That would be so amazing!”

Shepard chuckled as she listened to the excited bride relay the offer to the now equally excited groom. It didn’t feel like much of a wedding gift, but with the _Normandy_ as famous as it was, it seemed like a perfect gift. They’d be the only civilians to ever hitch a ride. Not counting war refugees, naturally.

* * *

Watching Shepard walk down the aisle in the surprisingly classy gown had been mesmerizing. He’d had to look at her twice simply because he’d never seen her this way. Her hair was pinned on one side and held waves while her eyes were painted. Her freckles were left untouched.

She looked positively stunning. 

The wedding ceremony lasted only fifteen minutes before the bride and groom, followed by the wedding parties walked back down the aisle. As soon as guests began to filter to the reception area, staff began to break down the wedding and prepare for dancing after dinner.

The bride and groom would leave in a few hours for their honeymoon. 

Tomorrow, he and Shepard would return to their lives. Separate lives. Lives that had zero intimate or personal contact.

Pure professionalism.

He watched possessively as Alenko spun a smiling Shepard on the dance floor. 

“What’re you doing here when you should be enjoying your time with your girlfriend?” Gary asked quietly, the dinging of silverware accompanying his words. 

“It wouldn’t be good for me to be possessive _and_ overbearing,” Hackett replied.

“Don’t lie to me.” Hackett’s breath caught in his throat. He’d thought they had faked it so well. “You’re just scared because you really like this one.”

He internally sighed with relief. “She’s…” he started, but didn’t know where to go with it.

“Yeah,” Gary agreed anyway. “That’s how I felt about Annie. She was one hell of a woman.”

“Yes, she was.”

“No one’s going to say anything if you take her and disappear,” Gary pushed. “I can keep Marc’s pup on a leash if he gets curious.”

Hackett chuckled quietly. Poor Alenko. It wasn’t his fault he had the puppy look going. Neither gender was immune to the second human spectre’s charming good looks. 

“I suppose I’ll see you around, Gary,” Hackett finally said. 

“It’s been good to see you, Steven,” Gary replied.

Shepard smirked in his direction as soon as she caught sight of him. Yes, he was going to interrupt her dance with Major Alenko. Yes, he was going to take Shepard back to their cabin and enjoy every second of time they had left by worshipping her perfect body. 

Sadly, there wasn’t much time at all.


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Man.. its been a time lemme tell ya. Tornados, bridge damage from flooding, and its my birthday month! (Yes I have a crown) My update is late this morning since I was on the phone reporting the bridge damage and trying to control the chaos inside my house because of a toddler. its been super fun the last twenty four hours.
> 
> * * *

It had been three days since she returned to her life. Very quiet, empty life. It was hard not to think of Hackett. Especially since he’d dominated her time for a whole week. 

With a sigh she loaded her favorite movie.

The bowl of popcorn had gone cold, and her chocolate milk sat untouched on the bedside table. She just couldn’t find the enjoyment in it she normally did. 

She could call him. Surely he’d take it. But what if he was back to his professional self? Like their fake relationship never happened. Like they hadn’t had sex every chance they got. Like he wasn’t murmuring her name while he was balls deep inside of her? 

It was stupid. She was missing a man she had a fake relationship with. Her superior officer to boot. 

She needed to get herself together. 

Returning her attention back to the vid screen, she set the popcorn bowl aside and snuggled down into her blankets. She was a grown ass woman, damn it. There wasn’t time to miss something that hadn’t been real to begin with.

But it wouldn’t matter what her mind was set on.

Not when her body missed the warmth in the bed and the breathing of another. 

There would be no peaceful dreams while surrounded by warmth. No salt-water scented air to wake up to. No man at her back teasing her for being grumpy while he brought her body to orgasm.

There would be nothing but broken sleep.

* * *

With an aggravated sigh, Hackett rose from the bed. There was no point in trying to get more sleep. Perhaps he’d gotten lazy during the last week. 

Or maybe he just missed a certain redhead.

Shepard was probably snoring away. Or working. She was a bit of a workaholic, like him. Getting to watch her mask fall away, replaced with a calm that touched anyone that came near was definitely surprising. And amazing. 

His heart leapt in his throat when his omnitool pinged with a message. But it wasn’t her. It was Gary.

_ Hey, Jackass. Why am I not hearing news of an engagement on the newsnets? Surely you didn’t lose your balls in the war. Anyway, that’s not why I’m writing. Abby sent me a holo of you and your gorgeous girlfriend but she didn’t have your omni address. And since we don’t have Shepard’s, you can send it to her. Also, Abby will need Shepard’s omni address so that Shepard doesn’t leave the Citadel without my daughter and her husband. Now quit fucking around and put a ring on that woman! Attachment- Uncle Steven & Aunt Jane _

Hackett only hesitated a moment before clicking the attachment. Air left his lungs as he took her in. Her body was pressed to his, his hands on her waist as they smiled at each other. He couldn’t get over how utterly breathtaking she was. And is. He remembered the moment, especially kissing her as the sun set behind them. He’d been so focused on her that he hadn’t realized a holo had been taken.

Never in his life had he been a love-sick pup like he is now. 

Since it was early in the morning, liquid courage was off the table. He doubted he could do a vid-call and see her in her post-sleep haze without giving away his affection for her. The possibility of rejection was a little overwhelming. Instead, he opened a chat window.

* * *

_ Hackett: Attachment Abby needs your omni address so you don’t leave without her. _

_ Shepard: Like I’d leave without that sweet girl. _

_ H: I’m just relaying what Gary said. Abby probably has a ton of holos to share with you too. _

_ S: Like the one you just sent me? _

_ H: Yes. _

_ S: I’ll message her as soon as I’ve had coffee. My coffee isn’t as good as yours. _

_ H: High praise. _

_ S: Perhaps, but for some reason mine tastes weak. And bland. Look at me, suddenly picky about coffee. _

_ H: Well, the coffee at the cabin is freshly roasted on the island. I can try to get you some? _

_ S: Great, I’ve become spoiled.  _

_ H: Good coffee doesn’t make you spoiled. _

_ S: Tell that to my taste buds.  
Idle for 23 minutes… _

_ S: Well, the coffee shop on the strip is a little better. I’ll just have to get used to it again. I also ran into Bailey. I need to call one of the 7 favors you owe me. _

_ H: Did you get arrested? Doesn’t your Spectre status keep that from happening? _

_ S: Oh, haha. So funny. No I didn’t get arrested. _

_ H: What’s the favor? _

_ S: I need a date to the C-Sec charity ball. _

_ H: Formal wear? _

_ S: Yes. _

_ H: Send me the details so I can clear my schedule. Also, don’t forget to message Abby. _

_ S: Thanks, I appreciate it. I can tell you from experience that it’s going to suck. But hopefully this year I won’t have to hide from the men looking for their future wife.  _

_ H: Does that happen a lot? _

_ S: Only when I leave my apartment. _

_ H: I’ll pick you up around 1800. See you tonight. _

_ S: Roger that. _


	11. Chapter 11

The ball gown was a simple design. Gold sequined halter top that showed her shoulders and back with a soft flowing royal blue skirt. Since her feet weren’t going to be seen, she chose a simple pair of gold sandals.

Kasumi helped with her hair and makeup before the thief disappeared. She never stayed long, but Shepard was grateful for the help. 

She was just putting her earrings on when Glyph notified her that Hackett was at the door. She couldn’t stop the sudden racing of her heart. With one last look at herself, and a calming breath, she left the room and crossed the distance to the stairs.

She didn’t dare look down to him while she descended the staircase. She knew her heart would kick up another notch if she did and then she would likely trip. That would be embarrassing. 

“You look amazing,” he told her as she made her way towards her date.

“And here I expected you to show up in your uniform,” she teased as she took him in. 

“I do own other clothes,” he replied with a smirk. “You ready?”

“Ready for hell? Unfortunately.”

“Why did you agree to go?” He asked her.

“I owed Bailey a favor. You’d think because I saved his life that we’d be on even ground, but no. Apparently, that didn’t count.”

* * *

The ball was exactly as it had been the last time she attended. More men than women, and a lot of alcohol. 

“Damn, Shepard! You clean up nice!” Bailey commented. “Admiral.”

“Commander,” Hackett replied in greeting. 

Shepard almost laughed at the tightening of Hackett’s hand on her waist. Possessive indeed. “How’s the turn out, Bailey?”

“Not bad. I’m hoping the credits will help fund a couple programs in C-Sec, but we’ll see.” Bailey smirked at her. “You two enjoy yourselves.”

She let Hackett guide her to a small table on the edge of the dance floor before he disappeared to get drinks. She couldn’t help but admire the way he looked in formal wear. Oddly enough, it made him look more dangerous.

It was less than a minute when the first buzzed man approached her. This was why she never liked mingling with civilians. Unless it was at the arena. 

“Commander, care to dance?”

“Thanks, but I’m here with someone,” she answered with a false smile.

“That’s alright, I don’t mind,” the man purred.

“I do,” she said evenly. 

Before she could inhale to tell the man off, a male turian rushed forward. This was going to be a shitty night. “I apologize, Commander. My partner is a bit…”

“Of an asshole?”

“I am not,” the human argued.

“Rude then,” Shepard told him. 

“Yes, I can be rude sometimes,” he admitted with an exaggerated nod of his head.

“Is there a problem?” Hackett’s rough, even voice asked. Shepard watched as the drunken male in front of her put the pieces together when Hackett’s arm wrapped around her body.

“Oh,” the male whispered, his eyes wide and surprised. “Nope, I was just leaving.” It was nice when her date was almost as well-known as she is.

The turian apologized again as he led his friend back towards a group of people Shepard assumed were C-Sec officers.

“You weren’t kidding,” Hackett grumbled.

“I miss being a nobody,” she complained.

“You were never a ‘nobody’,” he told her quietly. 

“Did you know that Jane Shepard isn’t even my name?” She told him before taking a sip. “I only ever knew one name. I took Jane Shepard off of a gravestone because I liked what the woman’s children said about her in the little hologram.”

“What did they say?”

“That she was the light of their life. Filled with compassion, the beloved head of their family. But with a mean streak that could frighten the highest ranking male in the family.” She smiled. She’d watched as they had placed her headstone and wept. “They were a military family.” 

When they left, she snuck over to see what kind of person was buried there that the family would be so broken. It turned out to be a woman. Someone that Shepard had pictured as her own mother. At least with what the woman’s children had said about her.

“What is the one name you remember?”

“You haven’t read my file?”

“I have but I don’t pay attention to first and middle names,” he admitted.

“You’ll laugh,” she told him. 

“I’ll tell you mine,” he said as he scooted closer to her. “But you can’t ever tell anyone.”

Shepard chuckled, never in her life did she expect such a thing to be considered classified. She leaned forward, wrapping her arm around his shoulder to keep herself from falling out of her chair just to whisper in his ear. “If you laugh I won’t let you take me to bed later.”

His fingers slid along her arm. “Deal,” he agreed, his voice holding a hint of lust.

“Jane Clementine Shepard.”

His body stiffened and she knew he was close to laughter. She pulled her head back just enough to glare at him. His eyes held humor as his smirk twitched, but he didn’t laugh. She waited patiently for him to calm his inner laughter, because she knew he was trying to hold it in. 

“Now what’s yours?”

“Your birth parents gave you that name?”

“No, the nuns did,” she answered. “Now yours,” she repeated. There was no way she was going to be the only one spilling secrets tonight.

He slid his lips along her jaw, making her gasp quietly when he breathed against her ear. She hadn’t been expecting that at all. “Steven Frederick Hackett.”

She bit her lip in an effort not to laugh. She couldn’t believe they’d both been stuck with such outdated names. 

“Let’s dance,” he told her.

“Didn’t we do enough of that last week?” She complained. There was a huge difference between dancing in the moonlight with sand under her feet and a formal ball. 

She let him guide her to the floor and spin her before pulling her close. “I can never get enough of a decent dancer.”

“Decent?”

“Mostly,” he teased before spinning her again.

She enjoyed him far more than she should.

* * *

Steven wanted to wake her. To, at the very least, talk with her before he had to go, but he knew from experience how hard it was for her to go back to sleep.

Instead, he left her a note on her bedside table.

Now he had to run home and change before going to a work meeting. If he’d known she was going to let him have her again, he’d have cleared today’s workload too. Just so he could lay in bed with her. 

With one last look at the sleeping, naked beauty, he left the room. 

It was probably a good thing they weren’t a real couple. Otherwise he’d never want to go back to work.


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sab! It's FRIDAY!

It was disappointing waking up alone. Far more disappointing than she expected it to be, complete with a pang in her saddened heart. 

Reaching over to turn the bedside lamp on, she knocked something off onto the floor. With a curse she rolled over and picked up a datapad. She didn’t remember having one there the day before. 

She activated it and blinked at the brightness.

_ [Clementine, Had I known you were going to bring me home with you, I would have canceled my meetings this morning. Perhaps lunch at that diner on the strip? Let me know. Talk to you soon, Steven.]  _

Clementine? She was going to kill him. Maybe slowly. She had hated when the nuns called her that. Probably because she’d grown attached to them. Then the orphanage was shut down and since she was older, she’d been left homeless while the younger kids were taken in by the church the nuns belonged to. There hadn’t been room for her.

As a child that had been devastating, but thinking back now she wondered how heartbroken the poor nuns had to have been having to push the older kids onto the streets and in the arms of waiting gangs.

Shaking the dark thoughts away, she made her way downstairs. It was time for bland coffee. While it brewed she decided to send Hackett a message.

* * *

_ Shepard: Lunch sounds good. What’s your plans for the rest of the day? _

_ Hackett: More meetings. I can bring dinner tonight if you’d like? _

_ S: I’m definitely going to be spoiled. _

_ H: Only if you let me spoil you, then yes. _

_ S: I might. _

_ H: Christmas will be on us soon. Anything specific you want? _

_ S: Oh, I can think of a few things, Frederick. _

_ H: Another beach vacation? _

_ S: Maybe. _

_ H: It’s time for my next meeting, I’ll see you in a few hours. _

_ S: Sounds good. _

* * *

It was hard to concentrate on work when all he really wanted was to be in Shepard’s presence. She talked about being spoiled but really it was him that had gotten spoiled to being in her constant warmth. 

He entered the turian councilor’s office and took the seat across from the man he was having a meeting with. The turians were trying to reimburse the Alliance for an old Cerberus facility the Alliance had given to the turians to take over.

“Did you know you and Shepard are all over the tabloid networks today?”

“I did not,” Hackett replied, surprised. “From last night’s ball I assume?”

“Yes. I do have to say, I’ve never seen her quite so...happy. Happy doesn’t cover it but I’m sure you understand,” Sparatus said.

“She is all smiles when she doesn’t have to work,” Hackett admitted as he looked at the holo before skimming the report. “Work is a heavy burden as you know.”

“I do.”

The meeting didn’t take long, thankfully. He was eager to go get Shepard so they could have lunch together. 

Their fake relationship had been the best request he’d ever made of her. Now he was working to woo her into a real relationship. He wanted to call her his, even if her name was Clementine.

* * *

Shepard hadn’t intended to end up in bed with Hackett again, but he’d brought wine with dinner and she ended up having a little too much.

With the man sleeping next to her, she took the opportunity to just look at him. Study him. 

His skin had darkened on their vacation, making his few freckles multiply along his shoulders. Even the light dusting of hair across his chest seemed to have grown, though Shepard knew it was only an illusion. He looked younger with his tan. Even his few wrinkles seemed to have evened out.

Maybe he just needed some vitamin d, or a little relaxation.

She gently traced the sharp lines of his jaw, the growing beard rough against her fingertips. The man was utterly perfect. To her anyway. She wanted to know the stories of every little scar. She wanted to know what he was thinking when his eyes squinted and the corner of his mouth tipped upwards. 

In a few days she would be on her ship and this little affair would be done. Though little was a bit of an understatement. At least to her. It used to drive her mad when the man she was dating acted possessive, but it was different with Steven. Whether it was because he was her fake boyfriend, or because she’d gone into this wedding date crap with an open mind, she didn’t know.

But she did know she was falling hard. 

It would never work out. Hackett was the type of man that preferred high-class women. Women that could go to an event at a moments notice simply because they already had a closet full of gowns. 

Jane Clementine Shepard was just a soldier at heart. She loved battle just as much as she loved being lazy. She didn’t fit into the life of a high-ranking person.

“Jane?” Steven mumbled, his warm, calloused fingers dragging hers from his jaw to his lips. “Everything okay?”

“Yeah,” she whispered. She had already lost, she knew it. But that didn’t stop her from pressing her lips to his as she moved to straddle his hips. She swallowed his moan as she slowly sank down on him and began to lazily rock her hips.

She was losing what she never really had. But when they were like this, his attention fully on her as his hands caressed her skin... she felt like the light of his life.


	13. Chapter 13

Watching the _Normandy_ leave port was definitely bittersweet. He’d told Shepard he came to see the newlyweds off, but in reality, he’d come to see her off. He watched as she greeted each member of her crew before she was the last one to board.

He kissed her then, sure she could taste the desperation he was feeling in every centimeter of his body. She just gave him a small smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. Maybe this was where she was calling it quits.

But he had no plans to let her go so easily. 

With the holidays fast approaching, there were a few things he wanted to get done before Shepard returned to the Citadel, and her apartment. He hoped she didn’t mind an Alliance themed tree in her foyer. 

But the hard question was: Did she prefer clear lights, or colored?

He supposed he should just play it safe and get a tree that held both. 

It would take a week for his tree order to reach him. Until then, he had actual work to do.

* * *

Shepard couldn’t help the chuckle that slipped free when Abby bounced in excitement. 

[Commander, emergency QEC call coming in,] Joker announced.

“On my way,” Shepard replied. They hadn’t been back to work but an hour and the Council was already sending them out. “You two make yourself at home.” Shepard keyed herself into the intercom. “Vakarian, Vega, be ready to move when I get the details.”

“An actual mission!” Abby said in awe. 

“EDI will let you listen in if it’s not classified,” Shepard told them before taking her leave.

-

Who would have thought that a just over a week ago she was enjoying the sunshine and sand on Earth. Now she was disrupting pirates from raiding supply vessels. 

Just like many times before, the ships’ terminals always held the base of operations location. The idiots made her job easy. 

“Everything okay, Shepard?” Garrus asked quietly. 

“Yeah, why?”

Garrus shrugged, “You’re not as into the battles as you normally are.”

“It’s because she misses her Admiral Sweetlips,” Vega quipped as he readied his shotgun. “They were all over the news.”

“ _The_ Commander Shepard in love?” Garrus purred with a teasing rumble of his subvocals.

Shepard chuckled, “Shut up, big guy.”

“Oh and she’s touchy!” Vega said. “Shepard and Hackett, sitting in a tree…”

[K-I-S-S-I-N-G,] Joker added through their comms.

It was a rare time she was thankful for her helmet as her cheeks burned and the guys laughed at her. “Let’s just clear this base,” Shepard ordered with a smile. 

In love? She didn’t know. But most definitely smitten. Butterflies in her stomach kind of smitten. It was a new feeling.

“Thirty seconds out!” Steve called.

“Roger that,” Shepard replied. “Let’s go boys,” she told her squad.

It didn’t take long to be knee deep in poorly trained pirates. She and her squad were taking down bad guys like a well-oiled machine when Joker interrupted her.

[Commander, got a call from your lover boy, patching it through,] Joker said.

“Are you fucking kidding me, Joker? I’m working and being shot at, I don’t have time for a fucking call!” Shepard growled when her shield blocked a bullet. “Vega, take him out before he pins me down,” Shepard ordered.

[Busy, Jane?] An amused, familiar voice asked causing an electric tingle to course over her body. 

“A little,” she answered, near breathless. “Garrus, find a nest,” Shepard ordered as the enemy tried to get a foothold. “What did you need?”

His soft chuckle made heat pool in her belly. [What’s your favorite color?]

Favorite color? “I’m in the middle of taking out a pirate base and you want to know what my favorite color is?”

[Yes,] he answered. She could hear his smirk, the jerk. [Or can you not do two things at once, Shepard?]

“Oh, burn!” Vega said before loosing carnage on a charging pirate.

Shepard could hear Garrus’ humored subvocals as he suppressed his laughter. “Vega pay attention to the guy on your left.” Shepard stood and took down an enemy with her pistol before getting back into cover. “Blue,” she answered finally.

“Really?” Garrus said, the gunfire from his rifle creating a steady rhythm. “How very interesting,” he purred.

Shepard snorted before she rolled to new cover after getting a few more shots off. “Got a sniper at ---.” The guy was taken down before she finished her sentence. “Don’t make me tell Tali you’re flirting with me,” she teased. “Push forward before reinforcements arrive,” she ordered.

[Blue is your only favorite color?] Hackett asked, his voice somewhat flat. 

“Yes,” she whispered as she and Vega moved forward. “Garrus, scout it out.”

“On it,” came the quick reply. 

[What do you want for Christmas, Jane?]

“I can see your heart rate speeding up, Lola,” Vega whispered with a smirk. 

“Shut up, Vega,” she growled.

[Vega, is my girlfriend blushing?]

“Oh my God,” she muttered. She was definitely blushing.

“Hard to say, Admiral, she just darkened her visor,” Vega answered. He wagged his eyebrows at her.

[That would be a yes, so I can imagine exactly what she wants,] Hackett said.

“I didn’t know you could blush, Lola!”

“Can we just shut up and clear this base so we can go home. I’ve got newlyweds to safely deliver,” Shepard reminded them.

[They are rather excited since they get to listen in on this mission.]

“I’m guessing that was how you knew I was working?”

[Of course, Jane. Message me later, beautiful.]

Shepard smiled, “I will, cabana boy.”

For the rest of the mission, Garrus and Vega picked on her non-stop. They were worse than brothers. At least she thought they were. It was hard to say since she didn’t know what it was like to have a brother. 

It wasn’t like she could tell them it was all for show, especially with her guests on board the ship. That was probably why Hackett called her. He’d probably received a message from Abby and he took advantage to further their lie of entanglement. They only real thing was the sex. And it was damn good sex.

Damn she’d love nothing more than to just run away with her cabana boy.


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So... this is my 69th fic. Giggity!
> 
> * * *

It had been only a few weeks since he’d been in her bed, but he felt like he was starving for her. Now he waited impatiently for her to make an appearance at his office like they’d planned. He knew she was always the last off the ship, but it didn’t help. He couldn’t concentrate on his work when he knew she was docked. 

This was probably one of the reasons why frat regs were in place. 

“Pretending to work?” A very familiar voice said, instantly calming him.

“Jane,” he answered as he rose from his chair. “Took you long enough, I’m hungry.”

“For what exactly?” She flirted, a hint of mischief in her eyes.

Her scent surrounded him the closer he got to her. Spirits he was done for. “A little of this and a little of that. We have dinner with Gary.”

“Is it fancy? I’m not quite ready to don another dress,” she complained.

“Just a regular diner, I promise,” he told her. “Since you gave his daughter the time of her life on the ship, he wanted to thank you by buying us dinner.”

“And you couldn’t refuse your adopted brother?” She asked him as entered his personal space. 

He hummed his agreement as he pulled her into a hug. He’d missed her the short time she was gone. It was silly, he knew. He just never expected to like someone more than his job. He sighed into her neck when her arms wrapped around him. This was definitely something he could get used to. 

The relief he felt at having her there was quickly overshadowed by increasing desire. With a smirk, he locked his office door and activated secure mode to his office. Then he turned and walked her backwards toward the desk.

“Wanting something other than food?” She asked him, her voice raspy with arousal.

“Hell yes,” he answered before covering her lips with his.

She chuckled into his kiss when their hands got tangled while trying to push each other’s pants down. He took the opportunity of her distraction to nibble on her neck. He recognizes the delicious sounds she makes when he gently bites down. He’s not disappointed when her quiet mewl caressed his ear.

“Turn around,” he whispered roughly. 

The grip on his pants was gone, but her hand grazed over his hard length as she turned to face his desk. Her dark, lust filled eyes met his over her shoulder as she pushed her Alliance issued pants over her hips. Gods she was a tease looking at him like that.

He let her watch as he stroked himself, her need for him glistening under the harsh lighting in his office. 

“Please,” she begged quietly.

“Why should I?” He teased.

“Because you’re my favorite cabana boy,” she answered.

He hummed as he moved into position behind her, the head of his cock spreading the moisture already leaking from her. A ragged moan left her as he began to push forward. She was so responsive, her body sensitive to every touch. 

“Fuck,” he muttered as he seated himself inside her tight body. He moaned when she fluttered around him. Steven could feel her fingers grazing him as she worked her clit. By the hitch in her breathing and the tightening around his length, he knew she was pushing herself closer by the second. 

He thought the arousal would fade as time went on, but she still reacted so easily to him. 

It was easy to get lost in the rhythm when he was buried inside of her. His thrusts hard and steady as she whimpered and moaned beneath him. Her free hand gripped his name placard for dear life as he moved. Her body shuddered, sweat shining on her brow as he felt her orgasm take hold of her. She fluttered around him, her moans broken and blissful while he pumped his hips hard into her. 

Heat pooled into his core, her body limp over his desk while the pornographic sounds of their joining competed with the decibel of his own low moans. 

When Shepard’s hand grazed his balls, his hips stuttered. When she lightly gripped and squeezed, he was surprised with the wave of painful pleasure that hit him immediately before he peaked. The waves were so intense he couldn’t make a sound or draw breath. Steven collapsed on top of Jane, his hips pressed tightly to her as he filled her.

They lay there, unmoving, as his body shook and he tried to catch his breath from the ecstasy he’d just experienced. 

“You okay?” She asked him, her voice dry and scratchy.

“Fucking amazing,” he answered before his quiet laughter joined hers.

* * *

“You’re late,” Gary commented as Shepard slid into the booth.

“Had a little catching up to do,” Jane told him. “How are you?”

“Hungry,” Gary replied with a smirk. “Now, tell me why I’m not hearing about any kind of engagement on the news?”

Steven groaned causing Shepard to chuckle. The poor man had to be under a lot of peer pressure. “Because we aren’t engaged,” Jane answered. 

They placed their orders while Gary gave Hackett the mean eye. She doubted it would affect Steven. Not even the smallest bit. They were still playing at the couple, but they weren’t in an actual relationship.

As far as Shepard could tell, they were just friends with some very good benefits. 

They were so deep into the relationship lie that it was easier just to pretend. Even if the make believe felt natural. Affection was easily given, and more surprising to her, easily received. Steven never made her feel weak and he never expected her to acknowledge his actions. He’d hold open a door in mid conversation without a second thought or hold his hand out to lift her from the bed. 

It was just part of who he was. And she really, _really_ liked it.

She really liked _him_.

“Shepard?”

“I’m sorry, what?” 

Gary smirked. “I asked how long are you in for?”

“Just a couple days, got Spectre work to take care of,” she answered.

There were men that expected to hear a thank you when they did things for her. But they never reciprocated the use of manners. They never asked if she needed anything while they were up or running to the store. In fact, she couldn’t remember a time that they gave and took in equal measure. 

Admiral Steven Hackett had opened her eyes to what a real partnership was. The balance of respect and friendship. She couldn’t say relationship, not traditionally. Neither of them had expressed their exclusiveness to the other but they did have a role to play. It didn’t matter, she supposed. Not right now. All that mattered in this moment was that she finally learned the difference between a partnership and a partner. 

She blinked back into the world around her as food was placed down in front of her.

“You okay?” Steven asked gently, his hand resting on her knee.

“Yeah,” she answered with a small smile. “Tired is all.”

“Cabana boy already wear you out, Shepard?” Gary asked as he arranged his food on his plate.

She’d ordered a half-pound cheeseburger with all the fixings. It smelled divine. “I’ve been up for thirty six hours or so,” she told him before taking a bite. Flavor exploded on her tongue making her hum in delight.

“Work?”

“Had some pirates to take down, then the Council called again and I had to go do a grab-and-dash,” She answered after she swallowed. Steven shifted her fries before pouring ketchup onto her plate, then doing the same to his.

It was the little things like that. He never asked, he just did. And he did it without thought. Small actions she never expected to mean such big things. It was something she never realized she needed.

“What did you grab?” Gary asked as he cut his steak.

“Classified,” she replied with a smirk before taking another bite of her burger. 

“Does Steven get to know the details of your Spectre work?”

“Nope,” she answered. “And the Council doesn’t get to know details of my Alliance work.”

Once Gary’s curiosity was as satisfied as it was going to get, he and Steven begin chatting about people Shepard wasn’t familiar with. The type of conversation she knew by heart. It was always the same when checking in on people that were no longer in your circle, or off on their own adventure.

Naturally, she was the first to clear her plate. It was a bit of a habit since she never knew if her meal was going to be interrupted. Steven and Gary continued to converse and eat as she lay her head against Steven’s shoulder.

Napping wouldn’t be possible in such an open area but she could completely relax with Steven eyeing the diner.

“Should we order her dessert?” Gary asked quietly.

“Yes,” Steven replied. “I’ll take it home with us and she can eat it later.”

“You have got to be the most fool-headed man in existence, Steven.”

“Not this again,” her pillow grumbled.

“Marry her!” Gary whispered.

“I heard you the first ten times,” Steven returned. “Leave us be.”

“Fine, but you’ll regret it if you don’t.”

And just like that, the hushed, emotional whispers were gone and conversation continued as if it never happened.


	15. Chapter 15

It was a rare experience to wake up in her bed without remembering getting to said surface. But the soft snore against the back of her head, and the hard, warm body at her back gave her a pretty good idea on how she’d gotten there.

When she’d arrived in his office yesterday, he’d had dark circles under his eyes. It really wasn’t too noticeable to most people but then she’d spent a week waking up with him every morning. 

It wasn’t too difficult to slide from the bed unnoticed. She needed coffee and maybe some food. Throwing her robe on, she made her way towards the stairs. 

Before she took the first step down, she noticed an odd glow coming from the foyer. With the blinds closed to the brightly lit strip outside, there shouldn’t be any lights other than appliances.

The door lock still glowed red, that much she could see from her position. 

Making her way down the stairs, she paused by the kitchen long enough to start the coffee before she turned around and headed to the foyer. 

What she saw stopped her in her tracks. 

A huge Christmas tree took up a place in front of the panoramic windows. It was lit with warm clear lights and soft glowing colored. 

Tears filled her eyes as she forced herself to take a step forward for a closer look. There were different styles of decorative balls. Some shiny, some matte, and even some with glitter. There were Alliance ornaments scattered throughout. But on top of the massive tree held what had to be her most favorite thing she didn’t know existed.

A _Normandy SR2_ tree topper.

She had to look away to catch her breath, but what she saw under the tree stole the air from her lungs just as easily.

A tree skirt, visibly made with different species fabrics. Fabrics that made her think of her crew, past and present.

Never in her life did she think she could feel so many emotions all at once. Joy, surprise, excitement…

Warm arms wrapped around her from behind. “I take the tears as a good thing?”

She nodded, she was still too choked up to speak.

“I’m glad you like it, Jane,” he told her. “I was a little worried I went too far.”

Too far? No. Too much for her to handle all at once? Perhaps just a little. “It’s beautiful, thank you,” she whispered.

“I got you an early Christmas gift too,” he told her, his smile against her ear making her chuckle. “The coffee that’s brewing is the same we had on vacation.”

“Really?” She asked in surprise. 

“Really, really. Would you like breakfast with it?”

“I’m definitely spoiled now,” she told him before turning to plant a chaste kiss against his lips. 

“Only a little,” he told her with mirth. 

Jane sipped her perfect coffee while Steven moved about her kitchen with ease. He cooked bacon and scrambled eggs like he did it every day. And maybe he did, she didn’t know. But still her heart sputtered every time he looked at her.

“What do you have going today?” He asked her as he effortlessly slid eggs onto a plate.

“A few errands,” she answered. 

They ate in quiet. It was a comfortable silence. Well, mostly silence. She couldn’t help but voice her appreciation of the good food she was devouring like she hadn’t eaten in days. If he was hers, she could have this all the time. 

But he wasn’t hers. 

Shaking the depressing mental thoughts away, she pushed her empty plate away to continue to sip on her coffee. When Steven grabbed her plate and stood to take it to the sink, she put her hand on his shoulder. “Leave it, I’ll do the dishes when I get home.”

“I can help,” he told her before setting the plates down and moving the stool closer to her.

“You cooked, I’ll clean,” she told him as his hands slid under the silk robe to grip her thighs.

“Care for a shower, Jane?”

Downing the last of the coffee in her cup, she set it aside before wrapping her arms behind his neck. “I’d love one,” she whispered against his lips. She sighed as he stood with her in his arms, his lips only grazing her teasingly. 

He carried her like she weighed nothing, but she knew that wasn’t true. While most of her metal limbs had been replaced post-war with cloned bones, she still had cybernetics throughout her body. Muscle mass and a few titanium pins in several titanium bones made her a little heavier than she used to be.

Still, he didn’t get winded. At least not until she began to wash his body.

* * *

When her third and final errand was done, Shepard exited the weapons shop intent on catching a transport home.

What she wasn’t expecting when she walked out the door was the slew of gossip reporters waiting for her.

Cameras came to life and questions were yelled. The group had successfully pinned her.

“Are the rumors about you and Admiral Hackett true?”

“Is it true you stole Admiral Hackett from another woman?”

“How will the Admiralty Board feel when they learn of broken fraternization regs?”

Her mask was firmly in place, but she was panicking internally. She was blocked in, only the shop behind her with no exits and civilians everywhere.

“C-Sec!” A dual-toned voice called loudly as the group of reporters were split and shoved aside. Shepard didn’t know who the turian hand belonged to, nor did she care at this point. She was being rescued from having to employ violence. Grabbing the hand, she was pulled through the reporters then surrounded by blue armor.

“Commander Shepard!” A reporter yelled.

The whole situation lasted less than a minute, but it drained her mentally. She should have been prepared for this since Steven was her date to the C-Sec ball.

“Thanks,” she told the group of C-Sec officers. “I was afraid I was going to have to break another nose.”

“Tiron let us know when he noticed a shifty character outside his store,” the turian said as he pressed a button for a car. “And because it’s a weapon store, we took extra precautions.”

“It’s not very often someone gets to say they saved Commander Shepard,” she told him, her voice lacking humor even though she meant it as a joke.

“I like to think I saved myself paperwork by not having to report a bunch of broken human noses,” he retorted causing her to snort.

“Thanks boys,” she told them when her chariot arrived. “I’d have hated having to use my Spectre status just to rush home to wash dishes.”

“Spirits, I forgot about that. That would have saved me paperwork too,” the turian quipped. 

The laughter that left her as the transport door closed was genuine. Most turians had a pretty good sense of humor. Then there was some, like Sparatus, who had a permanent stick up their ass. 

Quickly letting the stress go, she inhaled and exhaled. And hoped Steven wasn’t having to deal with the same crap.

* * *

Hackett watched in veiled anger as Shepard’s cold, blank face took in the reporters. The clip was only seconds long, but it was enough to anger him. He knew she dealt with the media and gossip news everywhere she went. He just didn’t realize how bad it was.

And now they were hounding her for information about their relationship that wasn’t really a relationship. Yet. He was working on it. It was slow going because he was afraid to screw it up.

He shook his head. The Admiralty Board didn’t care about his personal life, regardless of the rules. They may disapprove but nothing would come of it. Firing the First Human Spectre, hah! He’d like to see them try before all of Earth’s leadership opened a can of whoop ass. 

Their ‘relationship’ was all over the news. Even the Alliance news had mentioned he and Jane’s date night at the charity ball. They’d even had a really good holo of her. But then, Steven was pretty sure Jane couldn’t take a bad holo to save her life. She was gorgeous all the time. Even when she had bed-head. Especially when she had bed-head, he thought with a smile. 

His thoughts were cut short when his omnitool pinged with an incoming call. “Hackett,” he answered automatically. 

[Steven,] a familiar voice greeted, filling him with dread.

“Bea,” he replied evenly.


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just remember that I love you guys <3
> 
> * * *

It was pretty early in the morning when she decided to just get up. Steven hadn’t shown up, not that they’d made plans but it had made for a rough night of sleep. 

Coffee in hand, she made her way to her office to go ahead and get some work done. The crew was expected to start boarding the ship later on that day and they would be leaving after dinner. There was no telling how long she’d be out there before she got to come home again. Should she message Steven? No, no. They weren’t a couple. 

It took about an hour to work through her messages. Some were reports, others she had to reply to. By the time she was done, it was _still_ early. 

With a sigh, she refilled her coffee before making her way into the foyer to look at the tree. Steven had really outdone himself on it. 

What the hell was she going to do with herself? She had it bad for that man. She sighed again as she turned toward the stairs. There was time to go to the gym and grab something to eat before she made her way to the _Normandy_.

* * *

C-Sec gym was a little crowded but there were a few open punching bags. She hoped they upgraded the quality since the last time she was here. The last thing she needed was another agitated C-Sec Executor with a stick up their ass acting like she broke the equipment on purpose. Again.

She warmed her body up before she started hitting and kicking the bag in earnest. It was almost meditative as she concentrated on breathing through her workout. At the very least, she’d be worn out enough for a few hours of sleep tonight.

Two hours later she was feeling good. And hungry. After a quick rinse in the group showers, she grabbed her bag and headed in the direction of Apollo’s. She’d grab some food, then head to the ship to begin preparations for departure. 

Exiting the elevator as she hummed a song she didn’t remember hearing, she spotted a familiar set of dress blues and silver hair through the window that overlooked Apollo’s. Her heart sped up, joy bubbling to the surface until a woman came into view next to him as Shepard neared the stairs. The brunette touched Steven’s hand and caressed his jaw in a way that spoke intimacy. 

Pain exploded in Jane’s chest and radiated to her throat and stomach. Was this why he hadn’t come last night? He was seeing someone else? But then, why wouldn’t he be? They were never really a couple.

Is this what true heartbreak felt like?

She swallowed but the lump in her throat didn’t disappear. Inhaling, she turned on her toes and made her way back down the short hall to the elevator.

[Spectre status recognized. Proceeding to Docking Bay A12.]

Why did this pain hurt so much more than anything she’d ever felt before?

It was her first heartbreak, she realized. Which could only mean she was in love with a man that wasn’t hers to love. Now what the hell was she going to do?

* * *

The ship was quiet, just as she expected it to be. Joker wasn’t at the helm which indicated he was likely napping or eating. EDI was always there, but maybe she noticed Shepard really wasn’t in the mood for conversing right now. Or… no, she didn’t want to think about those two getting it on.

The loft was boring and lifeless as usual. No fish in the tank because she couldn’t keep them alive. There was no fake plants to warm the space. There wasn’t even model ship in the display case. 

What was the point anyway? All she did was work and sleep when on the ship. There was no time for frivolous crap. It left her loft cold and bare. Exactly the way she was feeling in this moment.

An angry tear slipped free. She wiped it away before taking a deep breath. But it was useless. The tear was replaced with another, then another until her face was covered in her pain. She sobbed so hard she had to clumsily rush to the bathroom to vomit. But all there was to come up was the expensive coffee Steven had bought for her.

Perhaps it was fitting to be completely empty.

* * *

It was nearing lift off time. She was busy in the cargo bay checking supplies while the flight crew were going through their pre-flight check. Cataloging and verifying crates was boring but necessary. Plus it kept her mind busy.

“Jane,” a familiar voice called causing her heart to clench. She was hoping to be long gone before he realized she wasn’t home.

“Admiral,” she greeted evenly. “What do you need?”

He didn’t speak until he was close enough to not be overheard by nosy crew. “You were going to leave without telling me goodbye?” He asked with a smirk. He didn’t know she had seen him with the other woman. Anger welled up inside of her.

“Yes,” she answered, his smirk transforming into confusion. “How was Apollo’s this morning?” His mouth opened and closed several times, no words coming out as realization dawned on him. “It’s fine, really. Our relationship was fake anyway.” It wasn’t fine. “You’ll just have to find another booty call. I don’t share.”

“Jane,” he started but she held her hand up to stop him.

“I said it was okay. Now it’ll be easy just to tell Gary we broke up,” she paused, swallowing the emotion that was trying to burst through to the surface. “I have work to do, Admiral,” she told him quietly, her mask firmly in place.

“Godspeed, Commander,” he whispered roughly before letting his mask slip into place as easily as he turned away from her. If he looked back, surely he would see the devastation in her eyes. But he didn’t.

* * *

**2 MONTHS LATER**

Eventually Steven would learn not to try to best him, but Gary was so much better than they all thought at detecting truth versus fiction.

The relationship his best friend had been in may have been fake, but it had an incredible amount of potential since the first second Gary had seen Steven and Shepard together. His old friend still hadn’t come clean about the false relationship. He’d only told Gary that the duo had split.

Gary wasn’t stupid.

Now here Gary was roaming the streets in Vancouver trying to get to the bar he knew Steven would be drinking at. The same bar they’d had many victory drinks in. And many drinks to drown in their sorrows and defeat. 

Steven had come to Vancouver to watch as Gary took the oath that made him part of the new Alliance Admiralty Board. Then the man had promptly disappeared. The transport landed before the door opened and the loading ramp descended. It would be a day to celebrate when he could walk again. But who knew when that would be.

Gary said nothing as he moved his hoverchair next to Steven. The poor man was drowning his sorrows. Gary knew all too well how that worked.

It didn’t.

“Steven.”

“Gary,” the man returned. “Congratulations.”

“How about you tell me what happened?” Gary pushed gently. 

Steven swallowed down the shot he’d been playing with before setting the glass upside down on the bar. “I fell in love with an incredible woman. Then she saw me having breakfast with Bea at Apollo’s.”

Ah, Bea. That was a devil woman if he’d ever met one. He felt bad for setting Steven up with that monster. “Why didn’t you tell Shepard you were having breakfast with Bea?”

“Bea called me the day before upset. Long story short, I gave her my bed and I slept on the couch.”

Gary sighed internally. “What was she upset about?”

“My relationship with Shepard that all the news stations was reporting,” Steven answered before tapping the bar for another shot.

“Why did you take Bea to your apartment? And why the hell didn’t you just tell Shepard everything up front?”

“I don’t know!” Steven replied, his voice raising enough to garner attention. “I should’ve told Bea no, I should’ve informed Jane, I should’ve just told my ex to get over it. I didn’t do any of it and I don’t know why.” 

“Was it because your relationship was fake but you fell in love with her?” Gary asked with a smirk. Oh he loved being right. Steven laughed, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “Have you tried to talk to her?”

“Yes. She won’t take my calls. She won’t even open my messages.” Steven swallowed another shot. “It’s ‘Admiral’ this and ‘Admiral’ that.”

“Well, if she saw you with handsy Bea, I imagine that means Shepard’s angry or hurt. Maybe both,” Gary told him. 

“She sends reports of her missions, pure professionalism. Distant, cold...” Steven said. Like Gary hadn’t spoke at all. “I have to send a mission through her ship account because she won’t even take a QEC call from me. Unless her pilot is angry at me too and he’s the one rejecting them.”

What else could Gary do at this point? If the situation didn’t improve, Gary may have to meddle in Steven’s affairs again. Hopefully for the last damn time.

* * *

It was kind of bittersweet being back on the Citadel when she still felt raw. But she had to continue on so as not to make the crew think something was wrong. Everything was wrong inside of her, but she’d perfected the mask a long time ago on the streets of Earth.

The air in her apartment was stale. She used to look forward to shore leave and having time for herself. Now she dreaded it. But they were only here for thirty-six hours for a supply run before they headed back out into the field. 

The Christmas tree still standing made her eyes sting. She couldn’t bring herself to touch it, or turn it on. She knew the soft warm glow of the lights would only make her feel even more cold. 

She wasn’t ready to come back here yet. Walking back out of the apartment was easy. She’d just stay in her cabin once she ran her errands. On second thought, she’d take Garrus up on his offer to take care of them. He didn’t want her running into more trouble like the last time with all the reporters. It was probably best anyway.

* * *

Shepard: Go ahead and grab those things for me, G. I’m just going to head back to the ship.

Garrus: Okay, do you need anything?

S: No but thanks.

G: Chocolate milk and popcorn?

S: I’ll pass. I’m just going to catch up on paperwork.

G: Roger that.

* * *

In all honesty, she was just going to jab herself with a sedative. She’d lost some weight from lack of appetite and insomnia. She wasn’t going to be able to hide it much longer. She needed some shut-eye. 

The ride back to her docking bay was filled with heavy silence. It weighed down on her like she was being held under water. She just wanted to wake up to the time before Hackett became more than her superior officer. She wanted to wake up feeling something. Anything.

The invisible weight pushed her further down. Waking up to numbness and emptiness was something she’d never experienced before. But she couldn’t find a reason to care. Maybe it should scare her. Maybe her lack of personal care in the field should scare her.

But it didn’t.

It was just another empty job in another empty day performed by the shell of a person that used to exist inside of her tired body.

Who knew getting punched in the heart would resonate for so long?

Zaeed had been right: _Love makes you weak._


	17. Chapter 17

What passed in several seconds, felt like minutes.

The smoke around the incoming bullet made it feel like she was dreaming. Her mind was tired, her body weak as she tried to roll into cover.

But she wasn’t fast enough.

The pain from the bullet entering the flesh just below the shoulder was minimal. The lack of adrenaline was worrisome as Garrus called out for her.

“I’m down,” she whispered roughly as she tucked her body behind cover. Endangering herself was one thing. Letting herself go out into the field in her current mental and physical health was fucking stupid. Doing so put her team in danger. “Alenko, I need medigel,” she said tiredly.

There were only a few enemies left, then she could head back to the ship and get her shit together. 

“Heading to you,” Alenko’s voice came through the comm. “Left them in a stasis for you, Vakarian.”

“A gift? You shouldn’t have!” Garrus’ assault rifle could be heard as he mopped up what was left.

* * *

“Commander,” Chakwas whispered as the scanner ran over Shepard’s body.

“I know, Karin,” Shepard told her. “I’m taking medical leave.” The decision had been easy after seeing the scrape along Kaidan’s armor and the worry in Garrus’ piercing eyes. “Kaidan will be in charge while I’m gone.”

“I think it for the best,” Chakwas told her. “Two weeks minimum.”

Shepard knew Karin and Steven were friends. Maybe not as close Gary and Steven, but close enough. The expression on Karin’s face was one of pity. Shepard didn’t want to be pitied. 

“Go pack your bags while I gather the needed medicine and supplies you’ll need,” Chakwas told her gently once Shepard let her know she wouldn’t be recuperating on the ship.

Before she could leave, Karin asked where she would be staying. Shepard knew it was for the medical chart and leave claim, but some things couldn’t be given to shared friends. “Classified.”

It didn’t take long to pack her bag, even with her shoulder wrapped up. It took longer to explain to Kaidan and Garrus that she was taking some leave to heal and that Kaidan would be in charge so that Council missions could be completed quickly. Garrus was expected to back Alenko up even though Garrus was the official executive officer. 

Lastly, it was a very quiet message to Joker to take her to her old apartment no one but Garrus and Joker knew about. Inter’sai. It would be the night cycle when they arrived and EDI was going to remotely control the shuttle to drop Shepard off.

She couldn’t chance running into Steven on the Citadel. Or the brunette.

* * *

Perhaps it was a little obsessive to have any reports from the _Normandy_ flagged as urgent. But it was as close as she was letting him get. So when his terminal beeped with an urgent report, he stopped what he was doing and opened it immediately. But each word he read filled him with worry.

* * *

_To: Admiral Hackett_  
From: Doctor Chakwas, Normandy SR2  
Subj: Medical Leave Report: Cmdr. Shepard 

_After sustaining an injury in the field, Cmdr. Shepard voluntary entered the Medbay on board the _Normandy_. The injury showed damage to the clavicle. Medigel was inserted after the bullet was removed. _

_As per normal treatment, a full scan was given._

_The Cmdr. has lost twenty five pounds since her last full scan. ( Attachment: Previous scan)_

_She is suffering from sleep deprivation and depression. Cause unknown._

_I’ve given medical supplies and medicines to the Commander to take and to care for her injury._

_Let it be known that the Commander has voluntarily given control of the _Normandy_ to second human spectre Major Alenko during the time of the Commander’s medical leave. The XO remains Garrus Vakarian._

_When I requested the location of the Commander’s medical leave for the report, she responded with ‘classified’._

_Medical Officer,  
Doctor Karin Chakwas_

* * *

Medical leave? Shepard had never in her career voluntarily taken medical leave. She fought with doctors and leadership before she was forced to take leave. Steven couldn’t help but worry. And why did she say classified? Was she not coming back to the Citadel?

He quickly pulled her call code up and pressed call. 

[I’m sorry, but the person you are trying to reach is either out of a service area, or has their omnitool turned off. Please leave a message: ]

There was no point in leaving a message. She wouldn’t call him back any way. If only he’d communicated with her instead of trying to do away with a problem quickly and quietly. 

Since it was doubtful she’d see him even if he did find her, Steven thought it best to call in an old friend. Surely Jane wouldn’t kick out a man in a hoverchair?

* * *

Of all the things he’s done in his life, hunting down a friends lost love was not one of them. Gary was having one hell of a hard time trying to find any information about the Commander’s whereabouts. Even the Shadow Broker wouldn’t give out the information.

Gary couldn’t help but be curious. What had Shepard done to have the Broker in her pocket? Was she a Shadow Broker agent? Nah, Gary didn’t see that happening.

If he was honest, he was starting to get worried too. It should be impossible for someone as well-known as Shepard to disappear so easily. But then, if he remembered correctly, she had grown up in the streets. 

He finally caught a break when the _Normandy_ docked on the Citadel. Something had to give. Steven was looking worse and worse as time went on without his sun. 

“You here to watch a cripple hobble?” A bearded man said. Some days it was good to hold a rank in the Alliance.

“That beard isn’t regulation, Flight Lieutenant.”

“Who gives a shit,” Moreau replied.

“I do,” Gary replied with a smile before flashing his new credentials.

“Oh shit,” the pilot muttered.

“Now,” Gary started as he shut down his omnitool. “I know Shepard is a little lax on some regs, which is fine. It’s her ship. But we seem to have a problem, _Joker_.”

“What problem is that?”

“There’s some people concerned about our favorite redhead. Especially given her medical state right now.”

“Can’t help you.”

“You see,” Gary smirked. “I’m actually trained in human lie detecting.”

“Fuck.”

“Fuck, indeed.” Gary sat up a little straighter. “You are going to tell me where she is, I am going to check on her so I can calm some folks’ nerves. Including my own.”

“She’ll kill me,” Joker muttered miserably.

“If you don’t tell me, I will formally lodge an order for you to shave your beard,” Gary threatened.

The pilot stared at him wide-eyed, likely judging how serious Gary was. Gary knew he won when the man sighed. “Tell no one, give her some damn privacy.”

“I will,” Gary told him honestly. “I just want to make sure she’s okay and doesn’t need anything since she isn’t answering her comms.”

Once alone, Gary quickly looked over the information before turning and making his way back to the elevator. It was best Hackett didn’t know. At least not right now. For the moment, Gary would travel to the coordinates and calm his own fears. Once he knew for sure that she was okay, he’d tell Steven. Keeping her location secret would probably cause some problems, but Gary understood Shepard’s need for privacy. Especially after seeing how she shut down when she was bombarded by questions on the island.

The woman needed to breathe. She needed a break.

Not a heartbroken man desperate to have her back.


	18. Chapter 18

There was nothing to do in this hell hole but stare off in the distance. The world was still mostly desert but there was more greenery than there had been the last time she’d been here. And it was quiet. The quiet was still heavy, but she knew she needed to just accept it. Maybe then she could begin to heal.

The sound of a shuttle put her on alert. 

She’d already received the shipment of groceries for the week. There was no one due. 

With her primary shooting arm bandaged at the shoulder, she had to hold the pistol in the opposite hand and wait for the idiot to ring the door buzzer.

If there was an emergency, Liara had a few agents nearby to lend a hand. All Shepard had to do was send an S.O.S.

Pressing the button as soon as the buzzer went off, Shepard answered. “What do you want?”

“Now, is that how you greet a friend?” Gary asked, his voice amused through the intercom.

“How did you find me?”

“Can I come in? I’m too delicate for this desert sunshine.”

Shepard sighed but pressed the button to unlock the door. She waited, gun aimed, for Gary to stroll through the second set of doors.

“Paranoid?”

“Smart,” she answered tiredly after the door shut behind him and the motion sensors showed no movement. “Why are you here?”

“I came to check on you. You’ve got several of us worried.”

“As you can see, I’m perfectly fine,” she told him. 

Gary snorted. “You aren’t, lass. Dark circles under your eyes, you look like you’ve lost weight. And since there wasn’t an ounce of fat on you I guarantee it’s all been muscle.”

“Gary,” Shepard sighed with frustration.

“No, Jane. It’s damn dangerous to lose any weight on you.”

“I’m fine,” she argued.

“You aren’t,” he whispered. Shepard felt the sting of tears in her eyes and the heavy emotion clogging her throat. “You aren’t the same woman I watched fall in love with my best friend. Not even close.” Shepard choked back a sob, her rear hitting the cool leather of the couch. “And he isn’t the same man I watched fall in love with a superhero.”

“He doesn’t love me,” she whispered roughly as she angrily wiped tears away.

Gary chuckled, but she heard no humor in it. “My dear, I have never seen that man fall for someone so completely as I witnessed on Earth. I have never, and I mean since we were young hotshot twenty year olds, seen Steven so utterly lost as I did when you smiled.” A warm calloused hand rested on her knee. “He wasn’t seeing Bea and I know it’s not my place to tell you but he regretted not just speaking to you about the devil woman.”

Shepard said nothing. Her chest ached so intensely she was afraid to speak. Was it possible she blew this way out of proportion? Maybe. But it still felt like she’d had a knife pressed through her ribs to her heart when she saw that woman touch Hackett so intimately.

“Love, go home. This barren world is no place to heal.”

“Okay,” she whispered roughly. She was too tired to argue.

“Get your stuff together, you can ride back with me,” he told her with a small smack against her knee. Shepard had no doubt he had been an incredible father. She was kind of envious of Abby. 

Shepard never had a man to teach her how she should be treated by men. That made relationships not just difficult, but sometimes downright unhealthy. And confusing as fuck.

There wasn’t much to pack since she hadn’t unpacked her clothes. Leaving the non-perishable foods behind was a simple choice. In less than fifteen minutes she was ready to go. 

A quick message to Liara, and Shepard was following Gary out to his shuttle.

* * *

The apartment was exactly the same as she’d left it the last time she was here. Stale air, empty fridge, and a Christmas tree that still hurt to look at. 

“It gets easier to come back to the place that once held joyful moments,” Gary told her as his hoverchair moved into the space behind her. It was easy to forget he buried a wife. 

“I’m numb, it shouldn’t matter,” she replied.

“I know, and still it does even when you feel nothing.” Gary cleared his throat. “Now, don’t disappear on anyone again. There’s too many of us that love you and we worry.”

“Okay,” she answered.

“I’ll see you around, Jane.”

With that, she was left alone in a home she didn’t really feel part of anymore.


	19. Chapter 19

When he got the message from Gary that Shepard was found and safe, he’d immediately asked for coordinates. But Gary had told him to _’kiss my ass’_. What kind of bullshit was that? Then Gary had disappeared and refused to answer any of his calls or messages. 

Steven had lain awake for hours waiting for Gary to message him. 

The bastard didn’t. 

It’s been so long since he’s seen or heard her…

Was her laughter still raspy? Had her freckles faded any from their time on the island? Did she still wrinkle her nose when she didn’t want to do something? Gods he missed her so much. 

In the week since he’d received Gary’s message that Shepard was safe, he’d nearly driven himself insane with thoughts of the incredible woman.

Memories of her sunbathing filled his dreams, her laughter nothing but a whisper in his ears…

So when a message came in from Gary as Steven was leaving his office, his heart rate kicked up immediately. But instead of Shepard’s location, it was a message telling him to take the damn blasted tree down.

_It’s March, ya jerk. And I’m guessing it’s still up because Shepard is always working._

Gary was right, Shepard was always working. She would never have time to take the tree down. That was if she hadn’t had it sent to the incinerator. He hoped not. It had taken a lot of work to get that tree and its decorations. Steven had even had the topper custom made for Shepard. 

With a tired internal sigh, he put in the coordinates to Jane’s apartment into the transport. He might as well get it done before she came back. If she ever did.

* * *

The apartment was completely different than it had been the last time he was here. But then, Shepard had been there and coffee had been brewing. Now it just seemed lifeless. Not too unlike how he was feeling.

As soon as he arranged the containers, he began to remove ornaments. One-by-one, he placed them in the proper container. Metal Alliance ornaments and shatterproof balls glittered against the light coming in from the windows. It would have been beautiful if it wasn’t so damn bittersweet to undo all of it. 

At least the tree folded up with a press of a button. 

An hour in, he removed his hat and jacket. He wasn’t even close to finishing.

Another hour and a pained grunt made him snap his head towards the stairs.

The woman clumsily stumbling down wasn’t the woman his memories were filled with. The ornament fell from his grasp, his feet moving before the sound of metal against metal reached his ears. 

But when she looked up, confused, he halted in his tracks.

“Steven?” She asked, her voice rough and pained.

“Jane,” he whispered but he was sure it sounded more like a prayer. 

He watched her grip the railing as she stood on the last step, her knuckles white. His feet once again moved on their own until he was standing directly in front of her, taking in each new feature on her skin. The missing freckles, the tiny pupils, sunken cheeks, and exhausted frame. 

But she just stared at him. He swallowed but didn’t bother hiding his relief at just being in her presence. He let the tear fall as his shaking hand moved to caress her cheek. When she didn’t pull away, he inhaled a harsh, shuddery breath before carefully wrapping his other arm around her.

All he could do was rest his forehead against hers as he soaked up as much of her as possible. 

“Are you real?” She whispered.

Confusion filled him as he pulled his head back to look at her. She only stared at him, her nose wrinkled as she tried to understand what she was seeing.

“Did you take any medication?”

“Sedative,” she mumbled but her gaze still looked utterly lost.

His heart sank. “Have you eaten, Jane?”

“Not hungry,” she answered.

“Yes you are,” he whispered. “Come, I’ll make you something.” She was going to be in this state for a while. He might as well feed her and get her back to bed to sleep off the rest of the medication. 

“Okay,” she agreed easily.

It didn’t take long to make her eggs and toast. He wondered if Gary had made sure she had food in her refrigerator. For once, the sting of jealousy wasn’t there. But gratefulness was. Steven watched as Jane inhaled her food before she pushed her plate away. 

Then he was carefully helping her back up the stairs and trying not to be overwhelmed by the way her body felt under his hand. Less muscle, more bone. 

Once he got her sitting on the bed, he began to remove the bandage. It should have been long enough since her injury that it would be healed. Unless she was wanting the scar? Perhaps.

With no sign of infection showing, he grabbed the medkit on the floor next to the bed, doctored the wound, then wrapped it back up. If that was the way she was caring for it, it was best to just do the same. She could always have the scar removed later. As soon as he slid her tanktop strap back into place, she collapsed onto the bed.

“Come sleep,” she whispered as she wiggled up the bed and onto her pillow.

He knew she was under the influence of a sedative, but removed his shoes and slid in next to her anyway. 

The heat of her body as she snuggled up next to him made his eyes heavy. He knew he hadn’t been sleeping well, he realized he didn’t without her next to him. When her soft snore reached his ears he couldn’t help but smile. He doubted she would believe him about her snoring. 

It was possible she would kill him when she awakened, but it was worth getting to lay next to her again.

* * *

For the first time in ages she felt like she was surrounded by the warmth she’d been missing for so long. It was probably the meds Chakwas had prescribed to her. She hated taking sedatives but she knew she needed the sleep, even if it was forced by meds. 

Now she had to deal with the body aches and headache that always came after taking a sedative. She hissed in pain when she moved her leg into a more comfortable position. 

“Jane?” A rough, familiar voice reached her making her body freeze. Pain erupted from her muscles causing her to groan in agony. 

Movement behind made the pain throb with her heartbeat. A soft sob left her throat as the pain extended over her entire body.

“Where’s the pain meds, Jane?” Steven asked, the sounds of digging through the medkit reached her ears.

“Bag,” she said as loud as she could. It still came out a whisper. 

The body aches had never been this bad after a sedative before. Even breathing hurt. Maybe it was a combination of meds and sleep? Jane didn’t know. It was too hard to think right now. 

The bed dipped behind her, her body forcefully being moved onto her back. His apologies came as the tears fell from her eyes. She couldn’t cry out through the intense waves of pain washing over her body. The pinch on her neck felt like nothing. The fingers gently wiping tears and moving hair off of her forehead almost worked in distracting her through the agony.

“I’m clearing my schedule to make sure you’re taken care of,” he told her quietly. She wanted to argue, anger welling up inside of her. “Stay in bed, Jane. I’m going to go make your coffee, then I’ll come get you.”

Oh, he knew just how to manipulate her emotions. Bribing her with coffee… Her biggest weakness other than the mostly dressed man walking out of the bedroom door. 

As ordered, she didn’t move an inch. Not even a centimeter as she waited for him to come back and help her out of bed. The longer she lay there, the less her body ached. She knew she was going to be stiff and that was her own fault. She hadn’t drank enough water and she had zero appetite. 

What she needed was a soak in the hot tub. Maybe it would help loosen up her tired and abused muscles. Plus, her hair was sticking to her scalp. She needed to bathe. 

“Coffee is brewing,” Steven said as he entered the room. “I also found you a masseuse to come work some of the tension out of your muscles.”

“I need a bath,” she told him. She watched in veiled arousal as he stripped down in front of her. Then he was easing her into sitting position and carefully removing her clothing. 

Once she was bare, he lifted her and carried her to the hot tub. The heat that surrounded her body didn’t compare to the warmth she felt in bed with Steven, but it was still nice. Really fucking nice.

She shivered when his erection grazed her thigh. Sex was never an issue between them. They were good together.

When the lines of communication were open. 

She was in no position to talk about anything right now. She was emotionally and mentally scattered right now. But sex? She really wanted sex. While water sex wasn’t really her thing, it would definitely be the easiest for her at this time.

If he didn’t reject the idea.

* * *

Even with the weight loss, she was still the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen. He couldn’t control his body’s reaction to her as he bared her skin. He busied himself with arranging her so he could assist in helping her clean herself. 

He’d just helped her saturate her hair when he felt her fingers graze over his length. He bit his tongue as he poured shampoo into his hand and began to massage it onto her scalp. Her pleased sigh made him twitch in her hand. 

Jane’s legs moved around and hooked behind his back as he tipped her head back to wash the shampoo out. He couldn’t stop the moan when her hand squeezed him. Her breath hitched, she lifted her hips, then they were both moaning as she took his length inside of her. 

His arms were shaking as he poured the conditioner in his hand. Steven wasted no time massaging it into her hair before moving his hands to her hips as she moved on him. Whimpers and gasps fell from her lips. 

“Jane,” he murmured shamelessly when her short fingernails dug into his shoulders.

“Please,” she begged.

It would be a cold day in hell when he denied her an orgasm. He licked and suckled droplets of water off of her neck as he shifted his thumb between her folds. Her cries of pleasure were music to his ears as her hips moved more frantically against him.

Her body quaked uncontrollably, breath hitching as she neared her target. When her back arched causing her breasts to press against his body, he knew he was going to have to roll his hips hard into her as the waves of pleasure overtook her. 

Cries of pleasure filled the room as she found her release, his own moan joining hers when he could no longer hold his release at bay. Steven filled her as she held onto him for dear life. Or maybe he was holding on to her. He wasn’t sure. 

Jane’s head fell against his shoulder, the conditioner leaving a greasy streak along his jaw where his unshaven scruff caught strands of wet hair. 

“Let me rinse your hair,” he whispered against her head. He could picture her wrinkling her nose in distaste of having to move. “I’ll do all the work,” he teased while squeezing her hips. Her raspy chuckle made him shiver.

Spirits she was the most perfect being in the galaxy.


	20. Chapter 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here it is you lovely readers, the final chapter in this fic I had so much fun writing. Another huge thank you to Melpomene21 for her incredible editing. Head over and check out her work! She knows how to tug the heart strings.
> 
> Thank you for all the comments and kudos <3 You guys are amazing and highly supportive of my addiction with Hackett. Super happy for that ;) I'm sad to say I have about 35+ fics in the works and I haven't had time to fiddle with any of them, but summer is coming! Got a prompt? I'm always open for ideas, you never know, it could make it into a full fic! Much love and many blessings to you all <3
> 
> * * *

For days Steven cared for her. Slowly but surely she was healing physically. She was slowly putting weight back on too. 

But they had yet to talk seriously about their relationship or whatever the hell they were doing. Even though they’d been hunching like rabbits as often as possible. When Steven wasn’t making her scream in pleasure, he was working. Or stuffing food in her face. He had clothes in her room, a shave kit in her bathroom, and even his preferred coffee mug by the coffee pot. 

In all appearances, he was living there. 

But she didn’t know where they stood, or if they were even a couple. Were they back to fucking and faking a relationship? 

Was Gary lying when he’d told her Steven loved her?

Living in the unknown was getting really fucking exhausting. But when his eyes turned predatory, she couldn’t seem to care. Desperation for answers made her even more horny. It was just a circle of confusion that she couldn’t get out of.

When she was well enough to leave the apartment, she did. With Steven at work, she was in need of a scenery change. She didn’t stay in one place for too long. With her medical leave ending soon, she figured she could check out weapons and armor upgrades while she had time. 

After stopping by several stores in the Zakera ward, Shepard noticed she had a couple of tails. She approached them, both men looking as if she’d just heard their darkest secret. “Why are you following me?”

“Bailey told us to,” the turian answered. “He didn’t want a repeat with the reporters.”

“Okay,” she conceded. She didn’t either. “Well let’s go, I want to hit the Presidium shopping district before lunch.”

“Yes, Ma’am,” the asari replied.

The weapons shop wasn’t very busy, thankfully. Shepard took her time looking through the catalog as she eavesdropped on her escort. 

“No, you get it this time,” the turian C-Sec officer whispered. “I’ll get one next time they’re on sale.”

“I got the last upgrade,” the asari replied quietly.

“Listen, you’re up for a promotion. We’ll be able to afford me later.”

So they were together… She briefly wondered if Bailey knew. Shepard made eye contact with the merchant, a human female with a sweet smile. Holding two fingers up and nodding in the direction of the pistol the pair were looking at, Shepard quickly and quietly paid for it, making a note to the merchant to come up with a lie.

Once the woman finished out Shepard’s purchases, she turned to help the couple while Shepard took a seat on the bench to wait for them. 

“These have been paid for and I was instructed to give them to C-Sec officers that meant to purchase this pistol, free of charge. You two were the first! Congratulations!”

“By the spirits,” the turian muttered when he accepted the new pistol with awe.

It was really sweet. The man seemed to be highly supportive of his mate and that should be rewarded in Shepard’s opinion. Once they were ready, Shepard informed them she was having lunch at Apollo’s then she was heading home. They said their farewells as the pair left to try out their new weapon at the C-Sec range.

With Aethyta manning the counter at the dining establishment, Shepard knew she wouldn’t have to deal with reporters. Oh how she loved that asari most days.

“Shepard, what can I get ya?”

“What’s good?” Shepard asked as she looked over the menu.

“The human burger will put some hair on your ass,” the asari stated. 

Shepard snorted. “I’m guessing you’re Steven’s new pet?” A voice interrupted. 

“You don’t know who you’re talking to, kid,” Aethyta warned, her voice low and gravely. 

“I know perfectly well, asari,” the brunette replied. Bea.

Her features were surprisingly classic. Like the old time holos of Audrey Hepburn. Absolutely flawless really. Not one imperfection or wrinkle. “The name is Commander Shepard. Alliance Special Forces, Council Spectre.”

The woman’s eyes narrowed. She probably had expected a reaction from Shepard. 

Before the woman could speak, a familiar voice joined the small group. “Jane,” Hackett said as he slid next to her. “My apologies for being late,” he told her before pressing a chaste kiss to her temple.

“It’s okay, I was catching up with Aethyta,” Shepard replied with a small smile as she met his eyes. “My adopted dad.”

“Got a quad, this one,” the asari said nodding in Shepard’s direction.

“I can assure you, she’s hiding no quad in there,” Hackett teased making the asari laugh. “Do you know what you want?” He asked Shepard. He still hadn’t even acknowledged the brooding brunette. 

“Cheeseburger, fries, and a chocolate shake,” she answered. “And he wants the same,” Shepard told Aethyta. 

“Don’t say I didn’t warn you,” Liara’s father muttered before pressing in the orders.

“Who doesn’t want a little hair on their ass to go with their quad?” Shepard asked with a chuckle.

“How could you date someone so disgusting?” Bea asked, her voice raising in pitch.

“Oh, Bea. My apologies, I didn’t see you there,” Steven replied as he wrapped an arm around Shepard’s back. “I would appreciate you not speaking of my future wife in such a manner.”

Shepard’s body tensed under Steven’s arm, she knew he felt it but that couldn’t be helped. Every bit of control went to keeping her mask firmly in place. 

“Wife!?” Bea screeched. “Are you kidding me? Did you hear nothing I said when I stayed with you recently?”

Shepard did her best to control the pain and jealousy that was trying to climb up and break the uncaring persona she was trying to convey to the red-faced brunette. She knew Bea was trying to cause problems.

“I have no desire to marry a woman that can’t even make her own sandwich,” Steven said making Aethyta snort. It was close, but Shepard managed to conceal the chuckle that threatened to leave her throat.

“I can learn!”

Who the hell ‘learns’ to throw a sandwich together? It was one of the rare things you couldn’t really fuck up. “Not interested.”

“What does this whore have that I don’t?” 

Shepard could see C-Sec moving in. Took them long enough. “Class,” Steven answered boldly.

It wasn’t very thrilling watching the poor woman be escorted from Apollo’s. Shepard felt bad for her. 

“Jane,” Steven started as he escorted her to an open table.

“It’s fine,” she told him. “How’d you know I was here?”

“I came to get us lunch then go home and surprise you,” he answered, his tone hushed. _Home._ Like it was their home they shared together. Which technically, they did. “I didn’t know you were here and I promise I’m not keeping tabs on you.”

“That would take being possessive to a dangerous level,” she commented. “Future wife? If I recall, we’ve discussed absolutely nothing. Fuck, eat, and sleep, is all we’ve done.”

“It wasn’t how I wanted to bring it up, certainly, but..” his hand rose from below the table, a small black box cupped tightly in his fist. “I spent all morning with Gary choosing this for you.” He opened the box with a flick of his thumb. 

All she could do was stare at it dumbly. There sat a gorgeous ring. Black metal with inlaid stone.

“I know it isn’t traditional,” he said nervously before clearing his throat. “I just chose something you could wear under your armor…”

She met his eyes, still in shock. “You were serious?” She asked, her voice cracking as she tried process the last few minutes that happened far too quickly. “I just thought you were trying to make Bea disappear.”

“I’m sorry, Jane. I shouldn’t have just asked without speaking to you about us first.”

The snap of the box closing brought her back to her senses. “Whoa, hold the fuck up!” She told him as she gripped his wrist. “I didn’t hear you ask at all.”

“You want me to get on my knee?”

“You’ve never had a problem getting on your knees for me before,” she teased with a purr.

His brow rose in surprise before he nodded. He’d been on his knees for her that very morning. As soon as he got down on one knee, held the ring out, and opened his mouth, she interrupted. “Yes.”

He growled, “I haven’t even asked yet.”

“I know, did you want me to say no?”

“You’re a pain in the ass, Jane.”

“You love me anyway,” she told him before plucking the ring from the box and slipping it on her finger. 

“Yes, I do,” he told her fondly. 

“What do you say we get our lunch to go?” She asked, sliding her hand up his thigh. “Then we find someone to marry us, go home, and start our honeymoon?”

“I’m so glad I got drunk enough to ask you to go to that wedding with me,” he told her as he stood. “Aethyta, we need those to go!”

“I’m ordained!” the asari said.

“Well, then. I guess we just need to put a call in to the _Normandy_.”

“And Gary,” Steven added.

* * *

** EPILOGUE **

**1 Year Later**

Awaking alone was not the way he wanted to enjoy their anniversary. But the view as he sat up in bed was worth the lack of warmth. Jane stood out on the deck, Steven’s dress shirt hanging off her as the wind mussed her hair... 

She never asked for anything but he knew exactly what she would enjoy for their anniversary: Returning to the island that changed their empty lives forever. Gary’s son-in-law’s family had eagerly paid to rent out the entire island for a week. They had taken great pride in aiding in the romance of _The Commander Shepard_.

The crew of the _Normandy_ had taken rooms in the main house with various other friends and family that decided to celebrate with them. Jane didn’t have to say it, but he knew how much it meant to her to be able to vacation with her family even if this getaway was for the married pair.

The rising sun bathed his wife, the bright colors showing the aura that was Jane Shepard-Hackett. He lay and watched as she enjoyed watching the sunlight play on the waves. He’d buy this island for her if he could. As it was, if the owners ever thought to sell it, Hackett was supposed to be their first call.

“I see my Cabana Boy is enjoying the view as much as I am,” his wife said as she walked silently back towards the bed.

“You are the best view there is,” he replied sleepily. 

She smiled down at him as she straddled his sheet covered hips. “Gary said something about horse riding today,” she told him quietly, but his eyes were on the buttons she was undoing. “While that sounds lovely, there’s a much more handsome stallion I’d rather have a ride on.”

 

“That so?” he mumbled huskily as she bared herself to him. 

“Mmhmm,” she answered. “Then breakfast with the crew,” she whispered, her body leaning down over him, her mouth teasing his. “Lounging in the hammock, frolicking in the water,” she whispered against his lips. 

“Then another tumble in the sheets?” He asked as he pressed his groin up against her, her sigh aiding in his rising arousal. 

“As many as we can possibly handle.”


End file.
